This week, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) revealed its strategy to address ethnic and other biases in medical devices, aiming to establish the UK as a global leader in this area. The initiative stems from an independent review on equity in medical devices conducted by Professor Dame Margaret Whitehead, uncovering significant biases affecting various groups.
The review specifically focused on pulse oximeters amid concerns about their accuracy for individuals with darker skin tones. It found that ethnic minorities, women, and disadvantaged communities are disproportionately affected by biases in medical devices, leading to poorer health outcomes.
In response to the report, the DHSC will integrate measures to mitigate biases into the design phase of medical devices and provide funding for unbiased device developments. Minister of State Andrew Stephenson emphasized the importance of an inclusive healthcare system that serves everyone equally, aligning with broader efforts to enhance fairness within the NHS.
Furthermore, the government is committed to ensuring the accuracy of pulse oximeters across all skin tones within the NHS, as well as eliminating racial biases from clinical study data sets. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency now requires approval applications for new medical devices to address bias concerns.
Professor Dame Whitehead highlighted the potential risks of AI-driven medical devices perpetuating biases against marginalized groups and stressed the need for comprehensive government support to address systemic injustices. By incorporating equity into global AI safety initiatives, the UK could lead in ethical AI-enabled medical devices.
This announcement is part of the government’s ongoing efforts to tackle healthcare disparities, which includes initiatives like the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and investments in health inequalities research. DHSC’s proactive approach aims to create a more equitable healthcare system for all.
