- Misdiagnosis Raises Patient Anxiety
- Platforms Remove Risky Health Apps
- Growing Reliance on AI
Article Today, Hyderabad:
Artificial intelligence is increasingly entering the healthcare space, changing how patients seek medical advice. Many individuals now turn to AI chatbots and mobile applications before consulting qualified doctors. However, this growing reliance has raised serious concerns among medical professionals and regulators.
Anxiety From Inaccurate Advice
Several AI tools are found to provide alarming and often inaccurate medical assessments. Minor symptoms such as a common cough are sometimes flagged as life-threatening illnesses like cancer. As a result, patients experience unnecessary fear and mental stress. Doctors warn that such misinformation can delay proper diagnosis and treatment.
A Case that Raised Alarm
An incident reported from Delhi illustrates the risks involved. An 18-year-old patient, after consulting an AI chatbot about a tumour, was told he might not survive beyond five years. However, following surgery and medical evaluation, he made a full recovery. Later, the same chatbot wrongly linked his mild cough to advanced cancer, which medical tests disproved. The symptom was instead linked to recent smoking.
‘Be Your Own Doctor’ Claims
Meanwhile, several health applications have promoted themselves as alternatives to doctors. Apps such as Eureka Health encouraged users to diagnose and manage conditions independently. Apple, after internal reviews, removed such applications from its store. Regulators noted that these platforms issued medical-like advice without legal authority or clinical validation.
Diagnostic Failures in Dermatology
AI-based dermatology applications have also shown serious limitations. Despite claims of high accuracy, studies found that these tools often misclassified harmless skin conditions as cancer. In some cases, they failed to detect genuine melanoma. Medical experts state that the complexity and diversity of skin disorders remain beyond current AI capabilities.
Action by Technology Companies
Following investigations by international agencies, including Reuters, technology companies have taken corrective steps. Apple and Google have removed several health apps that violated medical advisory guidelines. They have also initiated stricter scrutiny of developers offering unlicensed medical guidance. Both companies have reiterated that unverified health advice poses direct risks to users.
Medical Experts Express Concern
Doctors and computer scientists have jointly expressed concern over unregulated AI use in healthcare. They caution that medical AI systems often lack comprehensive and representative data. Professor Kiran Madala of Gandhi Medical College, Hyderabad, stated that no software can reliably diagnose thousands of complex conditions. He warned that delayed medical consultation due to AI dependence could cost lives, especially in rural areas.
Guidance for Patients
Experts advise patients to treat AI-based health information as preliminary guidance only. Any persistent or serious symptom should be evaluated by a qualified medical professional. While technology can support healthcare delivery, it cannot replace trained doctors. Therefore, medical experts urge governments to introduce strict regulations to govern the use of AI in health services.
