App-based diagnosis moves closer, but control is vital

Artificial intelligence is already widely used to inform the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of health conditions and with app-based tools increasingly being used, concern is growing that they need to be closely controlled to ensure their safety and efficacy.

Among the latest examples of an app-based diagnostic tool is Google’s ‘dermatology assist tool’, which is designed for use by members of the public to identify conditions that might warrant clinical investigation. Large volumes of data have been processed, analysed and visualised in order to develop algorithms, which are capable of diagnosing...