Conflicts of Interest: Tripathi and Tazbaz Step Down from Coalition for Health AI Board

Tripathi and Tazbaz, two top Biden administration officials, have withdrawn from the Coalition for Health AI’s board of directors. Tripathi is the national coordinator for health information technology and acting chief AI officer at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), while Tazbaz is the director of the Digital Health Center of Excellence at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Just four months after joining the board, they have decided to step down due to potential conflicts of interest arising from their roles in the federal government. In a statement to STAT, Tripathi mentioned that his various roles across HHS could create conflicts, prompting their decision to withdraw from the industry body.

The move underscores the complex relationship between government officials and private industry when it comes to regulating emerging technologies like artificial intelligence in healthcare. It also highlights the importance of addressing potential conflicts of interest to ensure transparency and accountability in setting guidelines for AI use in the medical field.

HHS and FDA appointed Tripathi and Tazbaz as federal liaisons to work with industry on developing new guidelines and regulations for AI use in healthcare. However, this move shows that there are still challenges in balancing government interests with those of private industry when it comes to regulating new technologies.