Medical device bias needs immediate action - review

Medical device bias necessitates immediate action, according to an independent review that highlights the lesser accuracy of pulse oximeters for individuals with darker skin tones, possibly leading to insufficient oxygen level detections.

The review also raises concerns about AI misjudging skin cancer in darker-skinned individuals and stresses urgent development of more equitable devices.

Eighteen recommendations were proposed, and the UK government has agreed with the findings. The review was prompted by increased COVID-19 risks faced by ethnic minorities and scrutinized devices like pulse oximeters, AI in healthcare, and polygenic risk scores.

Despite potential biases in these devices, mostly calibrated on lighter skin tones, the study urges continued use, while addressing the issues.

The government has acknowledged the need for better NHS guidance and is funding research for improved devices. Prof. Dame Margaret Whitehead advocates for immediate, system-wide corrective measures, especially to prevent societal biases from being embedded in AI medical devices.

AI systems used for chest x-rays, predominately trained on men, might cause misdiagnosis in women, and polygenic risk scores rely heavily on data from European ancestries, limiting their relevance to other ethnicities. Prof. Habib Naqvi and Minister Andrew Stephenson have welcomed the review, emphasizing the importance of eliminating racial bias for a fairer healthcare system.