A luxury healthcare trend has sparked heavy criticism after a doctor shared a harrowing account of a patient who was misdiagnosed with pancreatic cancer by an expensive AI screening tool. Taking to social media, the endocrinologist revealed that the woman was left “visibly distraught” after a luxury clinic’s ₹20,000 AI package incorrectly flagged the life-threatening illness, forcing her to spend another ₹10,000 on medical tests to prove the algorithm wrong. The post has ignited an intense debate across social media regarding the commercialisation of AI in medicine, with social media users split between slamming the flaws of automated diagnostics and pointing out that human doctors are equally prone to error.
“Had a visibly distraught and shaken lady in her 40’s who had been told she possibly had pancreatic cancer by a posh AI driven cancer screening package costing her over 20k!” The doctor wrote, adding, “Of course, she was referred to me, the endocrinologist, apparently the expert in all things pancreas!”
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In the following lines, she explained why the AI immediately prompted that the woman has cancer, despite that not being the case.
“Finally! Cancer screening is serious business, requires evidence-based pathways, careful test selection and expert oversight. Clearly meagre oncologists were not consulted or their advice overruled by the I behind the AI!” she angrily continued.
The doctor added, “Fancy interiors, glossy reports and ‘luxury healthcare experiences’ clearly trumped clinical judgement!”
“Of course my oncologist then reassured her plenty ….verbally and with further scans to prove her worth (ruling out becomes her responsibility!) ₹20,000 spent creating anxiety…. Another ₹10,000 spent proving the ₹20,000 was a mistake!….”
She concluded her post by sharing, “Screening should start with your doctor! Not in the lab/fancy machine however exotic the interiors!”
How did social media react?
An individual said, “Thanks a lot for this information.” Another added, “And they say AI will replace doctors.”
A third posted, “A 19-year-old got a whole body CT scan in a similar facility in Hyderabad ‘screening’!” A fourth commented, “IMHO if it’s not killing the patient, no point arguing and wasting your energy. Just give them what they want and DOCUMENT it in your paperwork.”
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However, a few argued with the doctor’s remarks, saying that human doctors make mistakes too. Just like this individual who wrote, “One oncologist misread the dates of the scan and thought the pre-chemo scan was the post-chemo scan and gave the person 6 months to live.”