Ethics and Governance of Artificial Intelligence for Health

Hosted by Health Intervention and Technology Assessment Program (HITAP), in collaboration with National Health Commission Office of Thailand (NHCO)

Panelists

• Mr. Mark Landry (WHO)

• Assoc. Prof. Mengling 'Mornin' Feng, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health National University of Singapore (SSHSPH NUS) and Director, AI for Public Health (AI4PH), SSHSPH NUS

• Representative from ETDA

• Representative from AI subcommittee or Ministry of Public Health

Background

The rapid advancements in Artificial intelligence (AI) are transforming society and becoming increasingly integrated into health systems. While AI offers great promise in improving health outcomes, efficiency, and access, it also presents challenges related to data privacy, algorithmic bias, accountability, and inclusiveness, among others. However, increasing complexity due to the involvement of multiple stakeholders, resource constraints, and evolving political, economic, and technological contexts call for incorporating ethical issues in governance to manage the system in a transparent, fair, and accountable manner-. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) outlined six ethical principles for applying AI for health which are to: protect autonomy; promote human well-being, human safety, and the public interest; ensure transparency, explainability, and intelligibility; foster responsibility and accountability; ensure inclusiveness and equity; and promote AI that is responsive and sustainable. UNESCO identified ten recommendations that include having a multi-stakeholder and adaptive governance and collaboration. “FUTURE AI”, based on consensus among global experts, provides guidance on the use of AI throughout the lifecycle of medical technologies. Embedding ethical principles and good governance practices is essential to ensure health policies are responsive to public needs and maintain public trust.

Thailand has been committed to Universal Health Coverage (UHC), with a strong focus on efficiency, equity, and sustainability. With the rise of AI, there is increasing use in the development and use of AI across sectors, including in health, the government has convened experts, issued guidance and prepared a strategic plan for AI. As part of the priority programme on digital health of the WHO Country Cooperation Strategy (WHO-CCS), AI was identified as a focus area and a situational analysis of AI for health in Thailand, which seeks to inform the development of policies on the use of AI for health in the country, is currently underway. 

Given these developments, it is timely to engage with stakeholders on the topic of ethics and the use of AI. This side meeting is being organised by the National Health Commission Office (NHCO) and the Health Intervention and Technology Assessment Program Foundation (HITAP). It will be held as part of the Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, hosted by the UNESCO and Thailand, and builds on discussions at the Prince Mahidol Award Conference (PMAC) 2025 on the topic of “Harnessing technologies in an Age of AI to Build a Healthier World”.

Objectives

To explore how ethical principles and governance mechanisms can guide the responsible development and use of AI in health, drawing on lessons from Thailand and other countries and identifying areas for regional collaboration. 

Specifically, the session will examine how issues of transparency, fairness, public participation, and context-appropriate innovation can be addressed to enhance health outcomes when using AI.

Key Issues

• Frameworks for ethical use of AI in health (WHO, UNESCO, FUTURE AI)

• Governance mechanisms to ensure responsible and inclusive AI deployment and addressing risks such as bias, exclusion, and misuse of health data

• Public participation and the role of civil society in ensuring accountability

• Learning from experiences of countries and enhancing regional collaboration

Expected outcomes

1. Enhanced understanding among participants of the ethical and governance challenges and opportunities in deploying AI in health systems.

2. Knowledge exchange on best practices, frameworks, and real-world implementation from both Thai and international experiences.

3. Increased awareness of the importance of inclusiveness, transparency, and accountability in AI governance.

4. Identified opportunities for collaborative action and regional alignment.

Expected outputs

1. Meeting Summary Report: Documenting key discussion points, recommendations, and identified next steps.

2. Policy Brief or Technical Note: Outlining ethical and governance considerations with relevance to Thailand and the region.

Anticipated Participant Groups

• Thai policymakers and government officials

• International experts / speakers

• Researchers and academics

• Civil society and public sector representatives

• International development partners / NGOs

• General attendees (observers)