Artificial Intelligence and Health Law: Building Trust in Pakistan’s Medical Future

Artificial intelligence is reshaping medicine in ways once thought impossible. In seconds, algorithms can scan medical images, predict diseases, and manage vast volumes of hospital data that would overwhelm human administrators. In a country like Pakistan, where health resources are stretched and diagnostic delays often prove fatal, AI offers the possibility of transforming public health — improving accuracy, reducing costs, and widening access. Yet, the same technology that promises precision and efficiency also introduces new legal and ethical challenges.

The growing use of AI in diagnosis, treatment planning, and hospital management is no longer speculative; it is happening quietly in hospitals and research institutions across Pakistan. Machine-learning tools are being tested to predict cardiac events, identify cancer cells, and assist radiologists in interpreting scans. But with these advances come questions of liability, privacy, and consent. Who owns the data that trains these algorithms? Who is accountable if an AI-generated diagnosis is wrong? How does a patient give meaningful consent when they cannot understand how an algorithm reached its conclusion?

Pakistan’s legal system, though evolving, is not yet ready to answer such questions. The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016 offers a partial foundation for protecting data, while the long-awaited Personal Data Protection Bill aims to secure privacy in the digital sphere. Yet neither law directly addresses the complex interplay of data, automation, and medical decision-making that defines modern AI. Hospitals and private AI developers thus operate in a legal grey area where innovation often outruns regulation.
In Navigating the Intersection of Artificial Intelligence and Law in Health Care: Complications and Corrections, Ahmed Raza, a distinguished researcher in AI and Law, examines precisely this challenge. His research concludes that the integration of AI into healthcare can revolutionize diagnostics, improve patient outcomes, and streamline administration but only if governed by transparency, adaptability, and clear ethical rules. Raza argues that Pakistan urgently needs a comprehensive policy framework that combines innovation with regulation, ensuring that privacy, data security, and patient consent remain central to technological progress. He emphasizes that aligning health technology with legal and moral principles is not an obstacle to growth but a precondition for sustainable reform.

Adding to this discussion, Dr. Shahid Naveed, a tech researcher specializing in medical technology and data ethics, has written extensively on the implications of algorithmic decision-making in clinical settings. She warns that if AI systems are allowed to operate without proper oversight, they may reinforce existing inequalities in healthcare delivery — favoring urban hospitals, privileged patients, or data-rich institutions at the expense of rural and underfunded ones. Dr. Naveed’s work underscores the importance of fairness, explainability, and inclusive governance in the design of health-related AI tools. Her perspective complements Raza’s argument: that law and ethics must evolve together to protect patients and preserve trust.

Trust remains at the heart of the issue. In Pakistan, where many citizens already view digital systems with suspicion, public confidence in AI-driven healthcare cannot be assumed. Patients need assurance that their medical records are secure, that algorithms are not biased, and that human oversight remains in place. Without transparency and accountability, even the most advanced AI systems will struggle to gain acceptance.

To address this, Pakistan must establish interdisciplinary oversight bodies involving doctors, technologists, ethicists, and legal scholars. These bodies could set standards for the approval, auditing, and monitoring of AI systems used in hospitals. Universities and medical colleges should introduce courses on digital health law and data governance to equip future professionals with the knowledge to navigate this complex landscape.

At the policy level, Pakistan can learn from international models. The European Union’s AI Act and the United States Food and Drug Administration’s evolving guidelines for adaptive medical algorithms demonstrate that innovation and regulation need not be adversaries. A Pakistani equivalent — grounded in local values but informed by global best practices — could ensure that technology strengthens, rather than undermines, the doctor–patient relationship.

As Raza’s research notes, transparency and adaptability are not luxuries but necessities. When patients understand how their data is used and trust that decisions involving AI remain accountable to human judgment, healthcare innovation can truly thrive. Dr. Naveed’s call for fairness and inclusion further reminds policymakers that ethical design must precede technological deployment, not follow it.

Artificial intelligence will continue to shape the future of healthcare in Pakistan. The real task lies in ensuring that this transformation upholds the rights, dignity, and safety of every patient. With a coherent legal framework, professional training, and open dialogue, Pakistan can harness AI not as a disruptive force but as a partner in building a more efficient, transparent, and humane healthcare system.