Innovative Bioethics Forum

A group of authors submitted a paper on decision support systems that use AI in medical settings for diagnosis. The authors consider whether automation bias and complacency have led healthcare practitioners to go along with the decisions the AI recommends without challenging the output properly or providing necessary oversight and context. Such complacency poses risks to patients who rely on physician expertise and experience. The paper suggests that the use (or misuse) of such systems could even impact the doctor-patient relationship. Additionally, the authors touch on how the systems are marketed and deployed. Tech developers possibly foresee their being used as decision substitution systems, but market them as assistive. Additionally, practitioners using them may intend to use them as just one factor among many when making a diagnosis or recommending a treatment plan, but they then fall prey to noted bias and they go along with the automated recommendation.

Another group is outlining a paper on the risks of data that can indicate a person is pregnant. Considering variations in abortion rights among states, in some jurisdictions law enforcement may try to collect data that can be used to detect pregnancy. It is not just the obvious data like hCG or a positive pregnancy test – even data that a nondescript health and fitness device like a Whoop collects can lead to an accurate determination about whether a person is pregnant.

Additionally, many of our members use the forum to brainstorm, discuss ideas, share sources for research articles, and seek edits or comments on their independent work. As we look to strategically expand, we welcome inquiries from those wishing to join us. Any potential forum member should demonstrate experience, interest, and/or a past publication that challenges a status quo. We engage in critical thinking and strategic discourse about science and medicine’s role in individual lives and society as well as about ways to ensure access to health care and the prerequisites of health (e.g., food, exercise, wages, and education).

The forum’s mission is to ensure that those affected by scientific discovery are properly at the forefront of policy governing its use, availability, and ubiquity. We engage in critical thinking and commonsense approaches to bioethics, health justice, and broad ethical issues with consideration of barriers or impediments to health and wellbeing.

To apply to join the forum, please email Anne Zimmerman at ahz5@columbia.edu. We accept individual and organizational members interested in critical approaches to bioethical issues.