Debates on the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI) are likely to intensify in the coming months, even more so with the expected vote on the government bill (PL) no. 2.338/2023 on the use of this technology in the country. In an interview with the Futuro da Saúde website, ABIMED’s CEO, Fernando Silveira Filho, said that the issue is a global debate and that in Brazil, especially for healthcare, it requires greater international cooperation, especially on key points such as interoperability, traceability and means of data collection. He stated that this entire debate was fundamental to guarantee the legislation regulating AI is balanced to serve all sectors, including health. “In the area of medical equipment and devices, we’ve incorporated AI for some time and there must be no setback,” he said.

Regarding the creation of a regulatory agency to evaluate artificial intelligence, ABIMED’s CEO believes the matter is unnecessary for the healthcare sector, after all, the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (Anvisa) has the role of regulating products for the sector. He also believes that AI can represent an important leap forward in terms of improvement, outcomes, and socio-economic issues, as well as for the efficiency and sustainability of the system. “Taking into account the size and diversity of the country, it is essential that AI is regulated with the necessary safety. This is about fairness for the user, so that they feel safe using this technology, especially in telemedicine situations.”