China releases ethics guidelines for AI-based medical imaging

Beijing (ANTARA) - China’s Ministry of Science and Technology said on Friday (28/8) that the country has released ethical guidelines for artificial intelligence (AI)-based medical imaging research, aimed at regulating the development of algorithms, trial verification and clinical application of the technology.

AI-based medical imaging uses AI technology to analyse computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasonography (USG) scan results, helping doctors detect lesions and improve diagnostic efficiency.

However, the technology involves large amounts of sensitive health data and carries various risks, such as privacy breaches, algorithm bias and unclear accountability.

The guidelines, issued by the medical ethics subcommittee of China’s National Science and Technology Ethics Committee, set out six main principles: enhancing human well-being, supporting fairness, respecting human autonomy, protecting privacy and data security, ensuring safety and controllability, and strengthening transparency.

The guidelines affirm that patients’ health interests are the priority.

The guidelines require researchers to obtain informed consent from research participants, and participants have the right to withdraw their consent at any time.

Humans remain ultimately responsible. AI results must not be used as a final diagnosis, and doctors retain the authority to make the final decision, according to the guidelines.

The guidelines also prohibit exaggerating the performance of AI models and emphasise the importance of algorithmic fairness to reduce bias in diagnosis caused by unbalanced training samples.