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AI as the Ethical Watchdog: Transforming Oversight in Medical Research

Nirangjhana Sivasubramanian, Yogesh Kumar, Saran A. K

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Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

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International Physiology 13(2):p 97-103, July - Dec 2025. | DOI: 10.21088/ip.2347.1506.13225.4

How Cite This Article:

Kumar Y, Sivasubramanian N, Saran AK. AI as the Ethical Watchdog: Transforming Oversight in Medical Research. Int Phy. 2025;13(2):97-103.

Timeline

Received : April 09, 2025         Accepted : July 10, 2025          Published : December 30, 2025

Abstract

Medical research is a cornerstone of healthcare advancement, but ensuring its ethical compliance remains a persistent challenge. As research methodologies grow increasingly complex, traditional oversight mechanisms struggle to keep pace. The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into ethical oversight processes has emerged as a potential solution to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and consistency in ethical review. This paper explores the role of AI in identifying and addressing ethical concerns, including bias in research design, informed consent violations, and data privacy breaches. A comprehensive analysis of AI applications in ethical review highlights its potential in protocol evaluation, bias detection, consent form analysis, and privacy protection. Case studies suggest that AI-driven tools can improve the speed and standardization of ethical reviews, reducing human workload while identifying ethical violations more effectively. However, challenges such as algorithm bias, integration difficulties, and ethical concerns regarding automation must be addressed to ensure responsible implementation. Despite its transformative potential, AI should complement rather than replace human oversight in ethical review processes. A balanced approach, integrating AI with human expertise and robust governance frameworks, will be essential for maximizing its benefits while mitigating risks. Addressing technical and ethical challenges will be crucial in harnessing AI to strengthen ethical compliance in medical research.

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Data Sharing Statement

There are no additional data available. All raw data and code are available upon request.

Funding

This research received no funding.

Author Contributions

All authors contributed significantly to the work and approve its publication.

Ethics Declaration

This article does not involve any human or animal subjects, and therefore does not require ethics approval.

Acknowledgements

We would like to express our gratitude to the patients, their families, and all those who have contributed to this study.

Conflicts of Interest

No conflicts of interest.

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Cite this article

Kumar Y, Sivasubramanian N, Saran AK. AI as the Ethical Watchdog: Transforming Oversight in Medical Research. Int Phy. 2025;13(2):97-103.

Licence:

Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.

Received Accepted Published
April 09, 2025 July 10, 2025 December 30, 2025
DOI: 10.21088/ip.2347.1506.13225.4

Keywords

Ethical OversightArtificial Intelligence (AI)Governance FrameworksHuman-AI CollaborationEthical Risk Assessment

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Timeline

Received April 09, 2025
Accepted July 10, 2025
Published December 30, 2025

licence

Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.


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