Use of AI for self-prescription poses risk to human life, warn doctors

Use of Artificial Intelligence IA for selfdiagnosis and prescription poses significant risk to human life warn healthcare professionalsOn Doctorsrsquo Day they voiced concern over the growing trend of patients depending on Internet search results even for serious ailmentsThey believe that while there are many advantages of using the Internet there are no less problems impacting everyday lives because of itEase in life and potential risks both multiplied over the last couple of years if not more with the entry of AI and Machine Learning ML which are fast overtaking our lives say doctorsAccording to them the Internet has emerged as a primary source of health information fuelling a rise in unsupervised selfmedication practicesAI has introduced a new facet to this trend which poses significant risks to human lifeEngaging in such unchecked behaviour presents grave threats and may result in fatal consequences if incorrect medications are consumed due to misjudgementPotential dangers of selfmedication include inaccurate selfdiagnosis and the misuse of medications leading to potentially hazardous drug interactions or incorrect dosages they saidAI works based on data input and in healthcare data has to be accurate to the last decimal to ensure perfect diagnosis of the ailment to provide best medication or treatmentHundred per cent accuracy is certainly not possible when it comes to providing data by nonhealthcare practitionersldquoThe Internet especially AI is developed and dominated by the western world especially the US Basic information available on AI platforms could be those associated with the geography and demography of the WestldquoSuch information may or may not be suitable to people in India because the information available will only be to the closest and not the most accuraterdquo Dr Gayatri Kamineni COO Kamineni Hospitals told IANSldquoDosages matter to ensure best treatment for any ailment and if that input is wrongly provided the result could be disastrous even leading to fatalities in certain casesldquoThe Internet in general and AI in particular must be seen as a support function and not as a judgment to trust blindlyrdquo she saidAlso ReadThe invisible threat Exploring the potential impact of microplastics on your healthDr B Kishore Reddy Chief Ortho Oncologist and Managing Director Amor Hospital believes that when someone takes medication without consulting a doctor or medical professional he might be choosing the wrong drugldquoAdditionally selfmedication increases your risk of taking an incorrect dose or using drugs for longer than necessary And if you take a substance for a prolonged period your body may become dependent and need this substance to continue functioning correctly ldquoSometimes patients may feel some shortterm relief and may think taking medication to alleviate symptoms is beneficial But there is a likely possibility that such medication could mask symptoms of an underlying medical condition and if proper medical guidance is not sought that underlying condition could worsen and become dangerous over timeldquoMisusing or overusing medication can also increase the risk of severe medical complications causing harmful symptoms including nausea convulsions and even deathrdquoldquoInternet especially Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning have eased the lives of healthcare practitioners We have access to the most advanced treatment protocols and due to the ease in communication the risk of making mistakes has reduced a great deal in a hospital settingldquoHowever this advancement is controlled and monitored by experts who have decades of experience in providing best care It is the combination of experience expertise and Internet which delivers the best outcome for patientsldquoDepending on the Internet alone without the experience and the expertise is not advisable at allrdquo observed Dr C Mallikarjuna Chief Urologist and Managing Director Asian Institute of Nephrology ampamp Urology AINUThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever