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Pharmacists, technicians and pharmacy owners must meet the GPhC’s standards when using artificial intelligence (AI) applications, the regulator makes clear in a new position statement on the use of AI in pharmacy.

“Pharmacy professionals remain personally accountable for their decisions and actions when using AI. AI should not replace clinical decision making and professional judgement,” the GPhC says. It has also published supporting advice on the use of AI in education and training, and in revalidation.

However, the GPhC says it does not have a role in regulating AI tools/ products or in assessing their clinical safety or technical performance.

To meet its standards, the GPhC expects pharmacists and technicians to:

• understand how AI tools are intended to be used, their limitations and biases
• ensure they have undertaken relevant training
• review outputs from AI tools for accuracy, bias or misleading information
• be transparent about their use of AI tools
• meet patient confidentiality and data protection requirements
• explain to patients how AI is being used in their care, and any associated risks or benefits
• seek consent from patients where necessary
• raise any concerns about AI use, errors or risks in line with the duty of candour
• not use AI in any way that puts patients and the public at risk of harm.

Pharmacy owners and superintendents are expected to carry out due diligence to make sure AI tools are safe, and used in line with their intended purpose. They should have clear governance arrangements, including risk assessments, data security, patient confidentiality and information governance, and make sure any AI tools used are supported by suitable training.

Additionally AI tools should be monitored and reviewed as part of routine quality and risk management. During inspections, inspectors will look for evidence that the standards for registered pharmacies are being met when AI tools are being used, the GPhC warns.

The advice on the use of AI in revalidation sets out what the GPhC considers to be appropriate use of AI when preparing revalidation submissions. The regulator says it is not appropriate for a pharmacist or a technician to use AI to create full revalidation submissions or falsify information.

If there is a reason to suspect AI has been inappropriately, it warns further action may be taken. This could include asking individuals to produce new revalidation records, requiring revalidation records in the following year to be submitted for review, or potentially seeing the submission investigated under fitness to practice procedures.

The advice on the use of AI in pharmacy education and training aims to support both education and training providers and learners to use AI in ways that are ethical, transparent and focused on patient safety, while maintaining academic integrity.

The advice references a joint statement from statutory regulators of health and care professionals on the use of AI in education and training which includes a set of guiding principles for education providers to consider during the design and delivery of their programmes