REGULATORY BARRIERS TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN HEALTHCARE

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of regulatory and legal barriers to the implementation of artificial intelligence technologies in the healthcare system of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The analysis of national legislation in comparison with the regulatory practices of leading foreign jurisdictions was used as a methodological basis. It has been established that the regulatory framework of Uzbekistan is at the initial stage of forming conditions for the digital transformation of the healthcare sector: while providing a general legal framework, it does not take into account a number of specific features inherent in artificial intelligence technologies. Within the framework of the study, a comprehensive analysis of the main legislative acts was conducted, including the Law “On Personal Data” and the Law “On the Protection of Citizens’ Health.” Methods of systematic analysis of regulatory legal acts, comparative legal, and formal legal methods were applied. Based on the conducted analysis, eight priority areas for improving legislation were identified, including the development of specialized legal definitions, adaptation of certification procedures for medical technologies using artificial intelligence, and the establishment of mechanisms for distributing responsibility among participants in relevant legal relations. Taking into account international experience, the expediency of implementing the “regulatory sandbox” model as a tool for ensuring a balance between stimulating innovation and protecting patients’ rights at the early stages of the development of artificial intelligence technologies in healthcare is substantiated. The application of this approach allows for minimizing the need for fundamental changes to the current legislation while simultaneously ensuring an appropriate level of safety. The obtained results have practical significance for the formation of an effective state strategy in the field of regulatory regulation of the application of artificial intelligence in the healthcare system of the Republic of Uzbekistan.