On 24 June, European politicians discussed how artificial intelligence (AI) could help improve care for patients during a public hearing of the European Parliament’s Committee on Public Health titled ‘Digital health: preparing healthcare systems for the future’.
Evidence presented during the hearing highlighted how AI tools can help healthcare professionals identify conditions such as lung and prostate cancer earlier by helping them review medical scans and test results more quickly.
However, MEPs warned that AI should support healthcare professionals, not replace them. MEP Catarina Martins (The Left group, Portugal) warned: “I am afraid there is some kind of expectation that AI can alleviate us from the workforce crisis.” Speakers also noted that AI tools are only as reliable as the information they are built on.
Alongside discussions about the opportunities and risks of AI, policymakers also stressed the importance of ensuring that accurate health information reaches the public. The European Centre for Democratic Resilience launched in February 2026 as part of a wider EU effort to protect open public debate and tackle the spread of false or misleading information, also known as misinformation. Politicians have since called for the Centre to be backed by proper legislation, a dedicated budget and clear rules for how it is run, warning it risks becoming a “symbolic front” without real power to act.
Dimitris Kontopidis, ELF Chair, said: “Many people see misleading health information online every day. Creating a body to tackle this problem is important, but it also needs the funding and powers to be able to act and make a real difference.”
Both developments reinforce the importance of ELF and ERS’s Defend Science, Protect Public Health campaign. Well-funded health systems, responsible innovation and strong action against health misinformation are all essential to protecting people’s health and building resilient healthcare systems across Europe.
One example of how AI can be used responsibly in healthcare is ELF Connect, the European Lung Foundation’s new digital platform. It features an AI-powered assistant that helps people find trusted, evidence-based health information, alongside the ability to submit questions directly to healthcare professionals through a structured and transparent process.
Dimitris Kontopidis added:
“AI can help people find trusted health information and feel more confident about their care, but it should always work alongside healthcare professionals. ELF Connect was designed with patients and healthcare experts and shows how AI can be used safely and responsibly to support people in managing their health.”
AI can be a useful tool for patients and healthcare professionals, but it should always be properly checked, overseen by trained professionals and used to support good care, not replace the people and evidence that good care depends on.
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