Over the last few years pharmacy and the role of pharmacy teams has changed dramatically. The introduction of technology and the integration of artificial
intelligence (AI) within systems that provide healthcare and support to pharmacies holds great promise; for improving access to health, supporting patient
outcomes, and optimising operational efficiency.
Currently, the potential use of AI could span the whole of the medicines value chain, from AI-driven drug discovery to personalised medicines and automated
dispensing systems. However, the rapid advancement of AI technology does raise several ethical concerns. This article will explore these concerns and how they
can be addressed.
In previous articles, I have discussed what underpins artificially intelligent machines and the importance of data. Datasets are the foundation on which AI
algorithms learn and generate conclusions. The first step to understanding the potential ethical implications of AI across the pharmacy sector is to understand the
data that is held within these foundational datasets.
Patient privacy and data security
AI systems in and outside of the pharmacy sector, which support patient care, rely heavily on vast amounts of medical data (patient medical records, PMR data, etc).
However, the collection, storage, and use of such sensitive data can possibly bring significant privacy concerns.
GDPR compliance is essential within the UK and ethical questions arise around data ownership, patient consent, and the possibility of data and cybersecurity breaches.
As frontline healthcare professionals, we need to be able to support our patients when questions are asked about their data. For example, how can patients be sure
their data is used only for its intended purposes? Is anonymised data truly safe from de-identification techniques that could expose private information?