5.2 SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION, RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY
“ Choosing regulation is a deliberate act. It is a choice to prioritise
human well-being over short-term techno-economic gains”
ticking. It is about protecting lives and preserving the integrity of health care. If a more robust regulatory regime for AI slows down or, worse still, halts some innovations, we must be mature enough to say that is okay. In truth, that is the point when pseudo-innovations offer little benefit or carry unacceptable risks. In a field laden with snake oil salesmen, a robust regulatory infrastructure and well-resourced regulators are our best defence. In the current fractured global governance context, choosing regulation is a deliberate act. It is a choice to prioritise human well-being over short-term techno-economic gains. A choice to learn from past mistakes, rather than repeat them. Over time, that choice will save far more lives than the perceived bureaucracy costs. And although regulation may not be as attention-grabbing as a flashy new app, it is the foundation that allows real innovation to thrive in all countries and endure. It is what transforms potential into public good. So, yes, I am unapologetically pro-regulation. If that makes some uncomfortable – those who would rather move fast and break things – so be it. Because in health, what breaks is not just a product or platform. It’s people. And no apology is needed for insisting they come first. ▪
and progress are opposing forces, as if ensuring safety means stifling creativity. That is a false and dangerous dichotomy. Regulation is not the enemy of innovation. In fact, effective regulation is an essential foundation for innovation. A shrewd regulatory framework does not just provide clarity and certainty – it drives investment. Businesses and, more importantly, science thrive when rules are clear, fair and consistently enforced, which, at the same time, builds public trust. Far from being a drag, well-crafted oversight weeds out unsafe or ineffective solutions early and paves the way for high-quality innovations to succeed. The problem we face in AI for health today is not overregulation but underpowered regulators. Many agencies tasked with protecting patients simply lack the expertise, funding, political backing or teeth to do their jobs. This leads to ineffective oversight, a lack of trust and an inability to nurture rapidly evolving science and research and development ecosystems. Ironically, supporting regulators is the fastest path to the pro-innovation regulatory ecosystem that so many desire. PUTTING PEOPLE BEFORE PLATFORMS Of course, some will still argue that a strong regulatory stance risks stifling bold ideas. But regulation is not about fetishising rules or bureaucratic box
BILAL MATEEN Bilal Mateen is a physician by training and the inaugural chief artificial intelligence officer at PATH. He currently holds a professorial chair at the Centre for Excellence in Regulatory Science and Innovation in AI4Health in the United Kingdom, and serves as principal investigator on over a quarter of a billion dollars of digital health and AI research and development funding. Before joining PATH, he led the digital technology team at the Wellcome Trust and, most recently, served as executive director of the world’s largest market shaping initiative (Digital Square), tasked with supporting the digital transformation of health systems globally. @path.org path.org
67 Health: A Political Choice – The Future of Health in a Fractured World
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