Canada's privacy commissioners and ombuds issued a joint October 29 resolution urging governments and health organizations to protect sensitive information when adopting AI.
A joint warning from privacy regulators
Canada's federal, provincial and territorial privacy commissioners and ombuds called on governments and health-sector organizations October 29 to adopt a more accountable approach to artificial intelligence in health care and medical research. The joint resolution acknowledges that AI systems may help clinicians make decisions and improve administration. It also warns that poor governance can expose people to unauthorized collection or disclosure of health information, unreliable inferences and discriminatory outcomes. A resolution expresses the regulators' recommendations; it does not itself enact a new nationwide law or prohibit the use of AI by health-care providers.
Six principles for responsible systems
The regulators urge legislation and organizational frameworks that make health AI privacy-protective, valid and reliable, safe, respectful of human rights, transparent and accountable. They recommend consultation with privacy regulators and meaningful public engagement, including with people whose circumstances may make them more vulnerable to flawed technology. They also want developers, service providers and health organizations to document responsibilities and maintain effective oversight from procurement through day-to-day use. These demands go beyond simply putting a privacy statement on a website.
Research ethics and next steps
The regulators are also asking Canadian health-research bodies to update ethics guidance for AI-enabled studies involving human participants and to strengthen training for review boards. Researchers are encouraged to consider both the benefits and risks to individuals and to share what their work finds. The commissioners say they intend to coordinate on advocacy, guidance, public education and enforcement where their powers apply. The next developments to watch are specific legislative proposals, procurement standards and enforcement actions rather than assuming the entire list of recommendations is already mandatory.
Sources & transparency
Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada — Joint AI and health resolution, October 29Original CDN News coverage. Sources are linked for reference.
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