MHRA report highlights public priorities for AI regulation in healthcare

The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has published two reports examining the views of patients, healthcare professionals and other stakeholders on the use of AI in healthcare.

The findings are intended to support the work of the independent National Commission into the Regulation of AI in Healthcare and inform future regulatory approaches.

The consultation gathered input from patients, healthcare professionals, industry representatives, researchers and public institutions. A separate Call for Evidence received submissions from 760 individuals and organisations.

Participants broadly recognised the potential benefits of AI in healthcare while emphasising the need for safeguards to ensure safety, effectiveness, transparency and accountability.

Several priorities emerged consistently across the engagement process. Contributors supported ongoing monitoring of AI systems after deployment, transparent decision-making, clear accountability mechanisms and human oversight.

Many respondents also argued that regulatory frameworks should evolve to keep pace with rapid technological advances while maintaining strong patient protections.

The findings will contribute to recommendations expected later in 2026 from the National Commission into the Regulation of AI in Healthcare. The recommendations are expected to help guide future regulatory decisions by the MHRA and other healthcare authorities.

Why does it matter?

Healthcare is one of the sectors where AI is expected to have the greatest impact, with applications ranging from diagnostics and clinical decision support to administrative efficiency and patient engagement. As adoption accelerates, regulators are increasingly focused on ensuring that AI systems are safe, effective and trustworthy.

The findings suggest that public support for healthcare AI is closely tied to transparency, accountability and human oversight. They also highlight the growing importance of adaptive regulatory frameworks that can support innovation while maintaining patient safety and public confidence in AI-enabled healthcare services.

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