Discover Which Laws and Frameworks Touch AI in Healthcare
As artificial intelligence transforms how healthcare is delivered, from diagnostics to patient monitoring, a growing body of global laws is emerging to govern its use. These regulations are not optional. If your AI system processes medical data, assists in clinical decisions, or interacts directly with patients, it operates in a highly regulated environment.
Below is a clear breakdown of the key laws and frameworks influencing AI in healthcare. You’ll see what each covers, how strict it is, and why it matters for anyone building or deploying AI in this space.
HIPAA (USA)
Sets the standard for protecting patient health information in the U.S. Any AI system handling medical data must comply with HIPAA’s privacy, security, and breach notification rules. Essential for U.S.
GDPR (EU)
Europe’s strict data protection law applies to any AI that processes personal data of EU citizens. It governs consent, data transfers, and patient rights, making compliance critical for healthcare AI with global reach.
PHIPA
Ontario’s health privacy law regulates how personal health information is collected, used, and disclosed. AI solutions serving clinics, hospitals, or providers in Ontario must align with PHIPA’s strict requirements.
PIPEDA (Canada)
Canada’s federal privacy law applies to personal data in commercial activities, including health-related AI. It requires transparency, accountability, and safeguards when handling patient information.
EU AI Act (EU)
The world’s first comprehensive AI law, it categorizes AI systems by risk level. High-risk healthcare AI, like diagnostic tools or clinical decision support, will face strict oversight, and compliance obligations.
NIST AI RMF
A voluntary risk management framework from the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology. It provides guidance on trustworthy AI, covering fairness, transparency, and safety.
FDA AI/ML
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulates AI/ML-based medical devices. Systems that diagnose, treat, or monitor patients may require FDA clearance, with evolving rules for adaptive algorithms.
SOC 2
A widely recognized framework for data security and privacy audits. Healthcare AI companies use SOC 2 compliance to prove they safeguard sensitive patient data when storing or processing it in the cloud.
ISO/IEC 42001
The first international management standard for AI. It helps organizations govern AI responsibly, ensuring healthcare applications meet ethical, safety, and accountability requirements.
ISO/IEC 27001
A leading international standard for information security management. It ensures healthcare AI providers establish strong controls to protect patient data against breaches and cyberattacks.
OECD AI Principles
Guidelines from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development that promote responsible, human-centric AI. They influence global healthcare AI policy on fairness, transparency, and accountability.
Existing Laws vs. AI-Specific Regulations
When navigating AI compliance in healthcare, it’s essential to distinguish between long-standing data privacy and security frameworks—like HIPAA, GDPR, or ISO 27001—and the newer generation of laws and standards designed specifically for artificial intelligence. While both are important, they serve different purposes: general frameworks protect sensitive data and ensure organizational accountability, whereas AI-specific regulations address emerging challenges like algorithmic risk, explainability, and system transparency. Understanding this distinction is key to building trustworthy, compliant AI systems in healthcare.
General Frameworks & Laws
These were originally developed for data privacy, cybersecurity, and operational controls—not AI directly. However, they still apply to AI systems when those systems handle personal health data, impact patient care, or integrate into clinical workflows.
| Type | Example | Applies to AI How? |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy Law | HIPAA (USA) | Governs how AI systems must protect PHI (e.g. speech-to-text in clinical tools) |
| Privacy Law | GDPR (EU) | Requires lawful processing, consent, and rights for automated decision-making |
| Security Standard | ISO/IEC 27001 | Provides a security framework for AI infrastructure and data handling |
| Audit/Trust Framework | SOC 2 | Ensures cloud-based AI vendors meet trust criteria (security, availability, etc.) |
| Healthcare-Specific Privacy Law | PHIPA (Ontario) | Regulates use of patient data by clinics adopting AI systems in Canada |
| General Privacy Law | PIPEDA (Canada) | Applies to AI vendors processing personal data in commercial contexts |
AI-Specific Regulations & Frameworks
These are explicitly designed to govern how artificial intelligence is developed, deployed, and monitored—especially in high-risk sectors like healthcare.
| Type | Example | What’s New? |
|---|---|---|
| Risk-Based AI Law | EU AI Act | Categorizes AI systems by risk (e.g., diagnostic tools = high risk) and imposes strict controls |
| AI Governance Standard | ISO/IEC 42001 | First global standard for AI Management Systems (AIMS) — focuses on governance, risk, transparency |
| Regulatory Guidance | FDA AI/ML SaMD | Offers a lifecycle-based approach to AI/ML used in medical devices (US-specific) |
| Risk Management Framework | NIST AI RMF | U.S. voluntary framework to help developers manage AI risk (governance, accountability, fairness) |
| Ethical Guidelines | OECD AI Principles | Non-binding but globally endorsed — promotes transparency, accountability, and human-centered AI |