June 10, 2025 – The “Artificial Intelligence in Health” session, held at the iHIT Hall of the Iran Health Exhibition, gathered leading experts and professionals from the health technology sector to discuss opportunities and challenges in advancing AI within healthcare.

During the session, Dr. Mohammad Mahdi Zahedi, President of the Iran National Artificial Intelligence Association, announced the launch of a collaborative project between the Association and Shiraz University of Medical Sciences to develop national standards for AI products and services in health. He invited all stakeholders and specialists to contribute ideas and participate in the initiative.

Dr. Zahedi highlighted the absence of clear standards within the Ministry of Health as a major barrier to AI adoption, noting that, unlike medical devices, there are no established frameworks for AI technologies. This gap has prevented capable Iranian companies from obtaining necessary licenses, despite their products already being approved in other regional markets.

The project, which began six months ago, focuses on establishing standards for data sharing, exchange, and processing, as well as defining benchmarks for AI health products and services. International protocols and standards such as the European Union’s GDPR, the US HIPAA, and Canadian and Australian regulations have been reviewed and adapted to fit Iran’s context.

Stakeholders in health—including data owners, processors, regulators, and AI solution providers—have been identified to ensure effective collaboration under the new framework. The proposed standards have been submitted to the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Industry, Mine, and Trade, marking a significant step toward fostering innovation and reliable adoption of AI technologies in Iran’s health sector.