The Commission’s report, published in September 2026 and subsequently accepted by government, sets out recommendations for the future regulation and assurance of AI across healthcare. However, the PDA emphasises that these recommendations do not in themselves change existing law, professional standards, or regulatory requirements, and pharmacists should continue to follow current guidance and professional obligations.
The PDA’s supplementary module explores how the Commission’s recommendations align with key themes already reflected in the PDA’s guidance, including meaningful Professional-in-the-Loop (PITL) oversight, professional accountability, governance, transparency, training and risk management. It also considers proposals relating to organisational AI readiness, clearer allocation of responsibilities, health equity, lifecycle monitoring and reporting, and patient transparency.
The new guidance is intended to help pharmacists understand the direction of travel for AI policy while reinforcing the importance of existing PDA guidance. It provides practical context for interpreting future developments without presenting recommendations as requirements that have already been implemented.
Pharmacists should continue to apply meaningful PITL oversight, critically evaluate AI-supported outputs and work within established governance arrangements while monitoring future regulatory developments.
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