The Medical Council of Ireland has published its Position Statement on Artificial Intelligence1 which explicitly recognises the potential of AI to improve patient outcomes, streamline processes and support evidence-based care. Its primary focus, however, is on the significant ethical and legal challenges which will require careful navigation in the years to come as this technology develops and becomes ever more present.
Clinical oversight
One thing that is clear from the statement is that the Medical Council sees clinical oversight as crucial in this new era of healthcare. Responsibility ought therefore to remain with the treating clinician in all instances of care in which AI plays a role.
In that respect, the Medical Council views the impact of AI in clinician decision-making as being one of augmentation as opposed to replacement. It refers to the importance of accurate and comprehensive medical records in detailing the decision-making process as a factor that is likely to come into sharper focus with the growing role of AI.
Consent and transparency
Another key piece is the importance of maintaining open dialogue between clinician and patient in situations where AI is involved. It specifically states that patients should be informed when AI tools are used in the diagnosis, treatment and delivery of their care. The level of detail that needs to be provided to a patient will depend on the specific use of the AI tool and the particular circumstances in which the care is being provided.
Bias
We are learning more and more about inherent biases present in AI tools. In that regard, the statement acknowledges the duty on doctors to advocate for fairness and equity in healthcare. Flowing from this duty, the statement notes the express requirement for clinicians to: 'ensure that AI contributes to, rather than detracts from, these goals'.
This will be a difficult challenge to navigate and will require diligence from all levels of personnel and management involved in the provision of healthcare, including procurement, licensing of products, testing of software, and the implementation of AI outputs into real world healthcare scenarios.
Confidentiality
The statement goes on to refer to the importance of confidentiality in relation to sensitive medical information. Data breaches are a growing concern for all organisations, and we know that the risks only grow the more data we entrust in these systems. We know also that AI tools improve in their efficacy when they are provided with greater datasets, provided this data is tailored specifically to the tool's purpose. There is clearly a delicate balance to be struck here.
Training
Lastly, the statement refers to the need for medical professionals to engage in continuous professional development, which will necessarily involve understanding AI's benefits, and crucially, its risks.
AI will undoubtedly present healthcare providers with many challenges as well as opportunities into the future.
Footnote
1 Principle-Based Position Statement on the Use of AI in Clinical Decision-Making, Medical Council of Ireland, 2025.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
