June 9, 2025 – While artificial intelligence has become a transformative force in global healthcare, the absence of effective collaboration between technical experts and clinicians remains the main barrier to fully leveraging this technology in Iran. This challenge was a focal point during the “AI in Health” panel at the 26th Iran Health Exhibition, where leading academics and industry experts shared their insights.

Dr. Vahab Dehlaghi, faculty member at Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, emphasized the crucial but often overlooked role of biomedical engineering as a bridge between medical technology and clinical practice. He noted, “No physician today can deliver effective treatment without technology, but tools alone are ineffective without clinical insight. Biomedical engineering must connect these two worlds.”

Dehlaghi criticized AI projects developed solely on data without clinical consideration, warning that high numerical accuracy can be misleading if not supported by medical reasoning. He explained that AI systems might fail to account for critical patient differences—such as age or comorbidities—leading to suboptimal or even unsafe recommendations.

For AI to succeed in Iran’s health sector, Dehlaghi called for genuine interdisciplinary structures uniting engineers, physicians, and policymakers. He highlighted the launch of Iran’s first PhD curriculum in AI for health at Iran University of Medical Sciences in partnership with Sharif University of Technology, as well as a new program in medical robotics.

Dehlaghi also pointed to AI’s potential to improve healthcare equity, particularly in underserved regions. For example, AI-powered ultrasound analysis can enable early screening in remote villages lacking specialists, promoting health justice.

He concluded that purposeful education and clinically relevant AI design are essential: “Young physicians are not yet experts, but with precise, intelligent tools, their quality of care can approach the highest standards—much like a new pilot flying safely with automated systems. It is time for AI to move beyond slogans and deliver real, clinically integrated solutions for Iran’s healthcare system.”