In a recent announcement the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) unveiled its strategic approach to artificial intelligence (AI),
as it sets out to embrace the transformative potential of AI in healthcare regulation.
Building upon the Government's white paper 'A pro-innovation approach to AI regulation', released in 2023, the MHRA outlined five key strategic principles guiding
its adoption of AI.
These principles encompass safety, security, and robustness; appropriate transparency and explainability; fairness, accountability, and governance; and
contestability and redress.
A science-led organization, the MHRA was tasked with providing an independent view of its approach to AI in medicine and science, aligning with a government
white paper.
Recognising its role in UK's goal to be a science and tech leader by 2030, MHRA is tasked to evaluate AI's opportunities and risks across regulatory, public
service, and evidence-based decision-making area.
The UK Government is investing £100 million to accelerate the use of AI in life sciences and healthcare under a new mission.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the AI Life Sciences Accelerator Mission in his speech last week.
The new initiative will capitalise on the UK's unique strengths in securing "health data and cutting-edge AI."
It will also help to identify those at risk of "dementia" and will ensure that patients participate in the trials at the right time to develop new treatments
effectively.
Henceforth, it will provide us with better data on how well new therapies work.
Sunak said: "AI can help us solve some of the greatest social challenges of our time. AI could help find novel dementia treatments or develop vaccines for cancer."
The World Health Organization called for caution on Tuesday (May 16) in using artificial intelligence for public healthcare, saying data used by AI to reach
decisions could be biased or misused.
The WHO said it was enthusiastic about the potential of AI but had concerns over how it will be used to improve access to health information, as a decision-support
tool and to improve diagnostic care.
The WHO said in a statement the data used to train AI may be biased and generate misleading or inaccurate information and the models can be misused to generate
disinformation.
It was "imperative" to assess the risks of using generated large language model tools (LLMs), like ChatGPT, to protect and promote human wellbeing and protect public
health, the U.N. health body said.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) made a recent announcement that the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (i.AI) and NHS England (NHSE) have
joined forces in a groundbreaking move by signing a Collaboration Charter on AI.
This pivotal partnership aims to equip the NHS workforce with the tools and resources to leverage AI technology for enhancing patient care, improving staff
experience, and driving operational efficiency.
The Charter, endorsed by Minister Burghart, Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office, and Lord Markham, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the DHSC,
signifies an important step towards integrating AI into the fabric of the NHS.
Under this collaboration, the i.AI team, comprising elite technical experts within the government, will identify opportunities where AI technology can be deployed
responsibly to support the NHS.
This initiative is expected to streamline processes, optimize resource allocation, and ultimately enhance patient outcomes.
The healthcare landscape has dramatically changed over the years, due to a number of factors, firstly having to navigate Covid-19 and now the advancement of
artificial intelligence (AI) and machine technology, to name a few. As a result, training the next generation of healthcare leaders is more important now than ever.
Let's look at three ways to effectively train the next generation of pharmacists:
Robust Induction Programme
Induction programs are an effective way of training the next generation of pharmacists as they have the ability to provide knowledge, skills and practical
experience to deal with and manage common challenges they're likely to experience in their careers. These programs usually include training in pharmacokinetics,
drug dosages, medication administration, and pharmacotherapy.
In an announcement following Keir Starmer's and Wes Streeting's visit to a hospital in the East Midlands, Labour Party has unveiled a groundbreaking
partnership with Virgin Media O2 aimed at ensuring every child with type 1 diabetes can access the latest medical technology to better manage diabetes.
With the NHS providing patients with type 1 diabetes the option of an 'artificial pancreas' in the next five years to manage insulin levels and Continuous
Glucose Monitors launched nearly 2 years ago to monitor children's glucose levels, the initiative aims to address the financial barrier hindering hundreds of
families from benefiting from this breakthrough.
Labour's plan to provide every child in need a smartphone, facilitating access to modern glucose monitors, aligns with the centre-leftist party's broader vision
to harness technology for healthcare transformation.
Announcing the partnership in an interview with ITV News, Keir Starmer, Labour Party Leader, highlighted the lack of equitable access to medical advancement
amongst patients as "travesty" and "impact of fourteen years of Conservative chaos has had on the NHS", stating:
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is doubling down on its efforts to combat online pharmacy frauds, emphasising innovation,
eradication of legacy systems, and cybersecurity in its updated technology roadmap.
The online sale of medicines and medical devices is a "growing phenomenon offering convenience, anonymity, and lower prices " for the public.
However the lack of robust cyber monitoring also "poses significant risks", as many online pharmacies are "unregulated, illegal, or fraudulent."
According to the MHRA's recent report highlighting the impact of artificial intelligence on the regulation of medical products, the strategic themes
of "fundamental to the successful deployment of AI" are essential for protecting consumers from fraudulent medical products.