Statement made at the 158th session of the WHO Executive Board on 4 February 2025. Individual statement made by WMA on behalf of WHPA.
Honourable Chair, Distinguished Delegates,
The WMA together with members of the WHPA, representing 47 million dentists, nurses, pharmacists, physicians and physiotherapists, commends WHO’s leadership in advancing global standards for interoperability and governance.
As stated in the WMA’s policy on Artificial and Augmented Intelligence, these technologies must support—not replace—the patient–health professional relationship. Regulatory frameworks must ensure that licensed health professionals retain final clinical authority, with clear, harmonized standards for accountability and liability.
Equity must be built in by design, including the assessment of bias before deployment.
Digital transformation will only succeed if the health workforce is adequately educated in AI literacy and if patient confidentiality and data privacy are fully protected. Precision medicine must remain human-centred and equitable.
Thank you.