Learnings from the first AI-enabled skin cancer device for primary care authorized by FDA
- PMID: 38879640
- PMCID: PMC11180084
- DOI: 10.1038/s41746-024-01161-1
Learnings from the first AI-enabled skin cancer device for primary care authorized by FDA
Abstract
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) recent authorization of DermaSensor, an AI-enabled device for skin cancer detection in primary care, marks a pivotal moment in digital health innovation. Clinically, the authorization of the first AI-enabled device for use by non-specialists for detecting skin cancer reinforces the feasibility of digital health technologies to bridge gaps in access and expertise in medical practice. The authorization also establishes a new regulatory precedent for FDA authorization of medical devices incorporating AI and machine learning (ML) technologies within dermatology. Together, this article uses the DermaSensor authorization to examine the clinical evidence and regulatory implications of emerging AI-enabled technologies in dermatology.
Conflict of interest statement
K.P.V. declares no nonfinancial interests and no competing financial interests. K.T.K. reports fees from the Common Health Coalition (through ChangeLab Solutions) and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, all unrelated to this manuscript. S.G. declares a nonfinancial interest as an Advisory Group member of the EY-coordinated “Study on Regulatory Governance and Innovation in the Field of Medical Devices” conducted on behalf of the DG SANTE of the European Commission. S.G. declares the following competing financial interests: he has or has had consulting relationships with Una Health GmbH, Lindus Health Ltd., Flo Ltd., Thymia Ltd., FORUM Institut für Management GmbH, High-Tech Gründerfonds Management GmbH, and Ada Health GmbH and holds share options in Ada Health GmbH. S.G. is a News and Views Editor for npj Digital Medicine. S.G. played no role in the internal review or decision to publish this News and Views article.
Similar articles
-
Pivotal trial of an autonomous AI-based diagnostic system for detection of diabetic retinopathy in primary care offices.NPJ Digit Med. 2018 Aug 28;1:39. doi: 10.1038/s41746-018-0040-6. eCollection 2018. NPJ Digit Med. 2018. PMID: 31304320 Free PMC article.
-
Undertaking multi-centre randomised controlled trials in primary care: learnings and recommendations from the PULsE-AI trial researchers.BMC Prim Care. 2024 Jan 2;25(1):7. doi: 10.1186/s12875-023-02246-8. BMC Prim Care. 2024. PMID: 38166641 Free PMC article.
-
The 2021 landscape of FDA-approved artificial intelligence/machine learning-enabled medical devices: An analysis of the characteristics and intended use.Int J Med Inform. 2022 Sep;165:104828. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2022.104828. Epub 2022 Jul 1. Int J Med Inform. 2022. PMID: 35780651
-
Artificial Intelligence in Breast Cancer Screening: Evaluation of FDA Device Regulation and Future Recommendations.JAMA Intern Med. 2022 Dec 1;182(12):1306-1312. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2022.4969. JAMA Intern Med. 2022. PMID: 36342705 Free PMC article. Review.
-
The Evolving Regulatory Paradigm of AI in MedTech: A Review of Perspectives and Where We Are Today.Ther Innov Regul Sci. 2024 May;58(3):456-464. doi: 10.1007/s43441-024-00628-3. Epub 2024 Mar 25. Ther Innov Regul Sci. 2024. PMID: 38528278 Free PMC article. Review.
Cited by
-
Consternation as Congress proposal for autonomous prescribing AI coincides with the haphazard cuts at the FDA.NPJ Digit Med. 2025 Mar 18;8(1):165. doi: 10.1038/s41746-025-01540-2. NPJ Digit Med. 2025. PMID: 40102664 Free PMC article.
-
A roadmap for safe, regulation-compliant Living Labs for AI and digital health development.Sci Adv. 2025 May 16;11(20):eadv7719. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adv7719. Epub 2025 May 14. Sci Adv. 2025. PMID: 40367163 Free PMC article. Review.
References
-
- Office of the Commissioner. FDA Roundup: January 16, FDA. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-roundup-january-... (2024).
-
- Health C for D and R. Software as a Medical Device (SaMD). FDA. https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/digital-health-center-excellence/sof... (2024).
-
- Health C for D and R. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML)-enabled medical devices. FDA. https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/software-medical-device-samd/artific... (2023).
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources