Artificial intelligence and medical research databases: ethical review by data access committees
Abstract Background It has been argued that ethics review committees—e.g., Research Ethics Committees, Institutional Review Boards, etc.— have weaknesses in reviewing big data and artificial intelligence research. For instance, they may, due to the novelty of the area, lack the relevant expertise fo...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-07-01
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| Series: | BMC Medical Ethics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-023-00927-8 |
| _version_ | 1827905332933820416 |
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| author | Francis McKay Bethany J. Williams Graham Prestwich Daljeet Bansal Darren Treanor Nina Hallowell |
| author_facet | Francis McKay Bethany J. Williams Graham Prestwich Daljeet Bansal Darren Treanor Nina Hallowell |
| author_sort | Francis McKay |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background It has been argued that ethics review committees—e.g., Research Ethics Committees, Institutional Review Boards, etc.— have weaknesses in reviewing big data and artificial intelligence research. For instance, they may, due to the novelty of the area, lack the relevant expertise for judging collective risks and benefits of such research, or they may exempt it from review in instances involving de-identified data. Main body Focusing on the example of medical research databases we highlight here ethical issues around de-identified data sharing which motivate the need for review where oversight by ethics committees is weak. Though some argue for ethics committee reform to overcome these weaknesses, it is unclear whether or when that will happen. Hence, we argue that ethical review can be done by data access committees, since they have de facto purview of big data and artificial intelligence projects, relevant technical expertise and governance knowledge, and already take on some functions of ethical review. That said, like ethics committees, they may have functional weaknesses in their review capabilities. To strengthen that function, data access committees must think clearly about the kinds of ethical expertise, both professional and lay, that they draw upon to support their work. Conclusion Data access committees can undertake ethical review of medical research databases provided they enhance that review function through professional and lay ethical expertise. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:40:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-eaa1c8fabdf243148dd89161da72c1a1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6939 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:40:11Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Ethics |
| spelling | doaj.art-eaa1c8fabdf243148dd89161da72c1a12023-07-09T11:23:53ZengBMCBMC Medical Ethics1472-69392023-07-012411710.1186/s12910-023-00927-8Artificial intelligence and medical research databases: ethical review by data access committeesFrancis McKay0Bethany J. Williams1Graham Prestwich2Daljeet Bansal3Darren Treanor4Nina Hallowell5Population Health Sciences Institute, University of NewcastleNational Pathology Imaging Co-operative, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS TrustYorkshire and Humber Academic Health Science NetworkNational Pathology Imaging Co-operative, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS TrustNational Pathology Imaging Co-operative, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS TrustThe Ethox Centre and the Wellcome Centre for Ethics and Humanities, Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of OxfordAbstract Background It has been argued that ethics review committees—e.g., Research Ethics Committees, Institutional Review Boards, etc.— have weaknesses in reviewing big data and artificial intelligence research. For instance, they may, due to the novelty of the area, lack the relevant expertise for judging collective risks and benefits of such research, or they may exempt it from review in instances involving de-identified data. Main body Focusing on the example of medical research databases we highlight here ethical issues around de-identified data sharing which motivate the need for review where oversight by ethics committees is weak. Though some argue for ethics committee reform to overcome these weaknesses, it is unclear whether or when that will happen. Hence, we argue that ethical review can be done by data access committees, since they have de facto purview of big data and artificial intelligence projects, relevant technical expertise and governance knowledge, and already take on some functions of ethical review. That said, like ethics committees, they may have functional weaknesses in their review capabilities. To strengthen that function, data access committees must think clearly about the kinds of ethical expertise, both professional and lay, that they draw upon to support their work. Conclusion Data access committees can undertake ethical review of medical research databases provided they enhance that review function through professional and lay ethical expertise.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-023-00927-8Artificial intelligenceMedical research databasesHealth data repositoriesData access committeesResearch ethics committeesEthical review |
| spellingShingle | Francis McKay Bethany J. Williams Graham Prestwich Daljeet Bansal Darren Treanor Nina Hallowell Artificial intelligence and medical research databases: ethical review by data access committees BMC Medical Ethics Artificial intelligence Medical research databases Health data repositories Data access committees Research ethics committees Ethical review |
| title | Artificial intelligence and medical research databases: ethical review by data access committees |
| title_full | Artificial intelligence and medical research databases: ethical review by data access committees |
| title_fullStr | Artificial intelligence and medical research databases: ethical review by data access committees |
| title_full_unstemmed | Artificial intelligence and medical research databases: ethical review by data access committees |
| title_short | Artificial intelligence and medical research databases: ethical review by data access committees |
| title_sort | artificial intelligence and medical research databases ethical review by data access committees |
| topic | Artificial intelligence Medical research databases Health data repositories Data access committees Research ethics committees Ethical review |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-023-00927-8 |
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