Artificial Intelligence as Your Healthcare Provider - Have We Gone Too Far?
A Recently Introduced Bill: H.R.238
A recently introduced bill (01/07/2025) by Arizona representative David Schweikert (R) titled:
“H.R.238 - To amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to clarify that artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies can qualify as a practitioner eligible to prescribe drugs if authorized by the State involved and approved, cleared, or authorized by the Food and Drug Administration, and for other purposes.” 119th Congress (2025-2026)
The slippery slope, where we outsource the very essence of what it means to be human, is at stake. While artificial intelligence has helped and can be a benefit to the healthcare industry in the future, if we use this technology to make decisions in the sacred realm of provider-patient relationships, it will not end well.
Limits of AI - It Only Regurgitates What It Is Programmed For
What Representative Schweikert is proposing is akin to opening Pandora's box. There is great promise for artificial intelligence to assist scientists and healthcare professionals in caring for humanity, but it comes at a price—and will end in disaster if we allow it to. Checks and balances need to be in place before this or any proposed legislation is introduced on what tasks we allow AI to perform.
Politicians Driving Healthcare Policies
Mr. Schweikert is not a healthcare provider. He is a businessman who sees an opportunity to cut costs—and potentially pad his pocketbook. (He was fined $50,000 in 2020 for violating campaign finance rules and misusing official resources for his reelection efforts.)
While he was instrumental as co-chair of the Telehealth Caucus during the pandemic, which helped facilitate telehealth visits during a time when people were forced to stay at home, he has no experience in dealing with patients, and the vast differences in cultures, ages, sex, religious practices, and socioeconomic status. Unfortunately, this is true for many politicians advocating and crafting healthcare policies for the unsuspecting public.
HR 238 - Identical to HR 206
As of this writing, there is no text for the bill. It was referred to The House and Ways Committee. Hopefully, just like the prior identical AI bill Schweikert introduced in 2023, it will not go anywhere. (HR 206) The phrase “and for other purposes” makes one wonder what those purposes could be.
This is a wake-up call. While the clown show in Washington continues with its diversions, real threats are happening under the radar of most citizens.
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Written By Brooke Lounsbury
