Press release on the WMA website
https://preview.mailerlite.com/j6f6d2t7a8/2855300123821349002/r4p6/
Geneva, 14 October 2025
The World Medical Association (WMA) has adopted a landmark Statement on Artificial and Augmented Intelligence in Medical Care, outlining global ethical principles to guide the safe and responsible use of artificial intelligence in healthcare.
https://www.wma.net/policies-post/wma-statement-on-artificial-and-augmen...
The new policy emphasizes that AI must augment, not replace human judgment, preserving the physician’s central role in patient care. By framing AI as augmented intelligence, the WMA highlights technology’s potential to strengthen clinical decision-making while reinforcing empathy, accountability, and professional ethics.
The statement reaffirms that patient safety, transparency, and human oversight must remain at the core of all medical uses of AI. The licensed physician retains ultimate authority over all AI-generated outputs influencing diagnosis, treatment, or care decisions.
“AI holds great promise for improving efficiency and expanding access to care, but it must be implemented responsibly,” said Dr. Jack Resneck Jr., Chair of the WMA Council. “Physicians must stay in control of clinical decisions, ensuring that technology enhances rather than erodes the patient-physician relationship.”
The WMA calls for strong regulatory oversight, including real-world validation, continuous performance monitoring, and explicit mechanisms for patients and physicians to question or override AI recommendations.
The statement highlights the importance of AI literacy in medical education, equitable access to AI technologies, and responsible data governance to safeguard privacy and prevent bias.
AI should serve as a tool for better healthcare, not a driver of depersonalized or inequitable systems. By embedding ethics, accountability, and human-centered design into every phase of AI development and deployment, the medical profession can harness innovation without sacrificing its moral foundations.
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World Medical Association
13A chemin du Levant
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Secretariat: +33 4 50 40 75 75
E-mail: communications@wma.net
Web: www.wma.net
[Forwarded by Neil Pakenham-Walsh, HIFA moderator]