Ethical implications of artificial intelligence in skin cancer diagnostics: use-case analyses

Skin cancer is the most common cancer worldwide. Early diagnosis is crucial to improving patient survival and morbidity. Artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted smartphone applications (apps) for skin cancer potentially offer accessible, early risk assessment of suspicious skin lesions. However, the integration of novel technologies into dermatology pathways raises ethical concerns. Although ethical principles for AI governance are well known, how these principles should be applied to real-life AI apps readily available for public use is less well understood.

To conduct an ethical use-case analysis of commercially available skin cancer apps, to better understand the ethical issues arising from their development and use in a real-world context.

Established methods for the ethical analysis of clinical AI applications were applied to two popular skin cancer apps in the UK: SkinVision and Scanoma. Systematic searches of published literature, regulatory documents and websites were conducted to review the evidence regarding app development, effectiveness and use. Screening for inclusion was undertaken by two researchers independently. Ethical concerns were identified with reference to previously described ethical concerns and principles for AI-assisted healthcare.

By conceptualizing ethical principles within the use-context of skin cancer apps, we identified specific ethical issues arising throughout the AI lifecycle of both apps. One company provided extensive detail regarding algorithm development and decision-making; this information was insufficiently reported for the other app. Other concerns identified were related to number, quality and consistency of studies assessing algorithm efficacy. Limited efforts to address potential skin tone biases and the exclusion of individuals with darker skin tones as target users by one app risks perpetuating existing inequalities. Inadequate regulatory oversight was identified.

Findings from our ethical use-case analysis of two patient-facing AI-assisted skin cancer apps suggest inadequate incorporation of bioethical norms such as justice, responsibility and transparency into the development and deployment of both apps. Improved regulation should increase accountability. Ensuring ethics by design through integration between technology developers, dermatologists, ethicists and the public is urgently needed to prevent the potential benefits of AI-assisted skin cancer apps being overshadowed by potential ethical harms.