Dr Elizabeth A. Buchanan

Director, Office of Research Support Services;
Senior Research Scientist, Coordinator of Medical Ethics
Marshfield Clinic Research Institute / Marshfield Clinic Health System

Elizabeth Buchanan PhD is Director of the Office of Research Support Services and Senior Research Scientist at the Marshfield Clinic Research Institute; she is also Coordinator of Medical Ethics for Marshfield Clinic Health System. For over twenty years, Elizabeth’s scholarship has focused on research ethics, compliance and regulations, specifically around Internet, social media, and big data research. In these areas, she has written guidelines for IRBs/REBs, contributed to the Secretary’s Advisory Committee to the Office of Human Research Protections (SACHRP) in 2013, and was co-author to the 2012 Association of Internet Researchers Ethics Guidelines. Elizabeth serves as faculty at the Fordham University’s Research Ethics Training Institute (RETI), Associate Editor, Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics, Board Member for Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research (PRIM&R), and Board Member and Secretary, Open Door Free Clinic, a community resource Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.  Prior to joining Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, she was Endowed Chair in Ethics at the University of Wisconsin-Stout.

Presentation Title

Ethical Issues in Digital Health Research Supported by Artificial Intelligence

As AI continues to occupy more space throughout our daily lives, from our streaming recommendations to our devices which recognize our facial features, it is not surprising that AI has become firmly entrenched in all forms of research, especially health research. We’ve seen tremendous success when AI is employed to predict or detect disease, often leading to improved patient outcomes. Yet, as with any novel technology, ethical concerns arise, ranging from traditional issues such as privacy and autonomy, to newer challenges, such as algorithmic bias. In this session, we will look at applications of AI in digital health research with a focus on ethical considerations across an array of stakeholders. The role of ethics review boards in this novel space will be discussed.

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