What is the potential downside of bias during medical technology development?

The potential downside of bias during medical technology development primarily lies in its capacity to create unequal treatment among patient groups. When biases—whether based on race, gender, economic status, or other factors—are present during the development phase, the resulting technologies may not be designed to meet the needs of all users effectively. This can lead to disparities in healthcare access and quality, where certain groups receive inferior treatment or miss out on advances in technology.

For example, if a new medical device is developed with data that predominantly reflects one demographic, it may not function as well for individuals outside that group. Consequently, some patients may not receive the same level of care or may suffer from adverse outcomes simply because the technology was insufficiently tested on a diverse population. Therefore, addressing bias is crucial to ensure equitable healthcare delivery and to maximize the benefits of innovations in medical technology across all patients.