New Delhi: Baroness Merron, UK’s Minister of State for Women’s Health, addressed the Responsible AI: Women and Healthcare Conference 2025 in London, emphasizing the government’s commitment to supporting the responsible use of AI in healthcare to improve women’s health outcomes.
Merron highlighted the potential of AI to revolutionize healthcare, stating, “We know we’re on the brink of a technological revolution in healthcare and in many other areas. AI will drive incredible amounts of change in our country, and we do have the opportunity to harness it, to turbocharge growth, and to boost the quality of lives for all, including women.”
However, the minister also stressed the importance of addressing potential biases in AI systems, particularly those impacting women’s health. She emphasized the importance of building public trust in these technologies, “Without enough care, AI could potentially, in a not good way, incorporate all the same biases that have plagued our healthcare system for too long.”
Merron cited examples of AI healthcare technologies showing gender bias, noting that algorithms used to diagnose conditions like liver and kidney disease are less effective for women due to a lack of female patient data in their training models. This, she argued, perpetuates existing healthcare inequalities.
According to the press release, the Minister of State for Women’s Health outlined the government’s support for initiatives like the Standing Together recommendations, which aim to develop standards for AI data sets that reflect the diversity of the patient population.