UK TO PROBE ‘SYSTEMATIC BIAS’ IN MEDICAL DEVICES TECH

Sun 21 November 2021:

After Covid-19 brought the matter “to the fore,” Britain’s health secretary stated on Sunday that he has established an independent study to determine whether “systematic bias” exists in the development of medical devices.

Sajid Javid also stated that he will collaborate with his counterpart in the United States, Xavier Becerra, as well as other like-minded countries across the world “so we can shape what sits behind these valuable technologies.”

In a letter to the Sunday Times, Javid cited research demonstrating that oximeters, which monitor oxygen levels and were used during the epidemic, are less accurate on persons with darker skin as evidence of a potential problem.

Javid, the son of Pakistani immigrants and the first person from an ethnic minority to hold the position of UK health minister, stated that it would evaluate all medical gadgets, as well as other typical biases other than racial bias, such as gender.

In England, black, Asian, and other minority ethnic groups accounted for 28% of critical-care admissions, roughly double their share in the general population.

“One of the founding principles of our NHS is equality, and the possibility that a bias — even an inadvertent one — could lead to a poorer health outcome is totally unacceptable,” Javid wrote, referring to Britain’s National Health Service.

“We urgently need to know more about the bias in these devices, and what impact it is having on the front line.

“So I have commissioned an independent review, looking at whether systematic bias exists within current devices, and if so, how we can address it.”

COVID-19 infections are currently increasing in Europe, and many governments are implementing restrictions to combat the outbreak.

For several months, Britain experienced greater infection rates than its neighbors, however, cases are essentially flat, and deaths and hospitalizations are gradually declining. Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated this week that he saw no reason to implement the government’s winter “Plan B,” which would mandate individuals to wear masks indoors and advise them to work from home.

Britain has recorded more than 143,000 coronavirus deaths, the highest total in Europe after Russia.

_____________________________________________________________________________

FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:

TWITTER (CLICK HERE)
https://twitter.com/IpIndependent