The FDA has issued a clinical hold on Amgen’s phase I trial of the experimental weight-loss drug AMG 513. In other news, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles has suspended the initiation of puberty blockers in transgender patients younger than 19 after an executive order from former President Trump. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has also directed the military to suspend the integration of new transgender recruits and to suspend medical treatment for troops with gender dysphoria. In response, attorneys general from 15 states said they are committed to defending institutions offering gender-affirming care and against federal limits.
Adam Rodman, MD, MPH, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center believes AI is not advanced enough yet to safely prescribe drugs. Although he acknowledges the great advances in AI, he believes significant regulations would have to be in place before AI prescribing would be possible. Similarly, Stephan Fihn, MD, MPH, of the University of Washington warns that the bill is lacking in detail regarding which medications AI would be allowed to prescribe, under what circumstances, and whether physician oversight would be required. He compares AI prescribers to autonomous vehicles and suggests they would require a high degree of approval.
Schweikert has been a champion of AI’s expanded use in medicine, citing its potential to cut government costs and increase efficiency in diagnostics and medical procedures. Earlier legislative attempts to make AI prescribing a reality have stalled, and experts note that proper testing, regulation, and monitoring must be done before such technology can be safely implemented.
The American College of Physicians has already stated that AI should supplement, not replace, physician decision-making. While AI is already being tested for applications such as streamlining prior authorizations, transparency and accountability issues remain.
Rodman admits that the potential of AI prescribing can become a reality someday; however, he indicates that the technology is not advanced yet. Though the bill expresses some optimism towards the potential of AI to fill gaps in healthcare, its potential in legislation is doubtful.
Source: www.medpagetoday.com/special-reports/features/114158
