ETHICAL LIMITS OF CLINICAL MEDICINE IN THE ERA OF TECHNOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATIONS
TL;DR
Ethics by design – integrating bioethical principles throughout the technology lifecycle – together with algorithmic transparency, human-in-the-loop governance, and international regulatory frameworks, constitutes the necessary condition for preserving the humanistic character of clinical medicine in the era of technological transformation.
Abstract
Introduction. Each wave of medical progress has brought not only new treatments but also new moral dilemmas. The present convergence of artificial intelligence (AI), digital platforms, and molecular biology represents perhaps the most radical shift yet –one that raises urgent questions about where the boundary lies between technological utility and human rights.Aim. To analyse the impact of technological transformations on the observance of the principles of autonomy, human dignity, integrity, and justice in modern clinical medicine, and to justify the necessity of a human-centred model for the responsible implementation of medical innovations.Materials and methods. Narrative review. Search conducted in Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science (2014-2024), with inclusion of key international normative documents. Methods: systemic analysis, bioethical analysis, deconstructive analysis, and comparative legal analysis.Results. Algorithmic paternalism and AI opacity formalise informed consent and undermine patient autonomy. Datafication of the person—reducing patients to measurable parameters – threatens human dignity, especially when medical data becomes a commercial resource. Germline genetic editing and neurotechnologies challenge the principle of integrity at the level of personal identity and intergenerational justice. The digital divide and algorithmic bias systematically reproduce social inequalities in new technical forms.Conclusions. Ethics by design – integrating bioethical principles throughout the technology lifecycle – together with algorithmic transparency, human-in-the-loop governance, and international regulatory frameworks, constitutes the necessary condition for preserving the humanistic character of clinical medicine in the era of technological transformation.