The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in clinical trial recruitment is rapidly changing how participants are identified, engaged, and enrolled. While the technology promises efficiency and broader reach, it also raises urgent ethical concerns. First, algorithmic bias in recruitment systems may reproduce or deepen health disparities, threatening efforts to build representative and inclusive clinical studies. Second, reliance on AI-generated patient materials complicates informed consent and transparency, since tailored outputs can obscure critical risks, oversimplify complex medical information, or frame participation in ways that undermine trust. Third, the integration of AI into recruitment workflows necessitates enhanced frameworks for accountability and responsible governance. Unlike traditional recruitment processes, generative AI involves layers of opacity, raising difficult questions about responsibility for errors, bias, and participant harm. Without strong regulatory oversight, the rapid adoption of AI-driven tools risks undermining participant protections and public trust in clinical research.
 
Kalina Kamenova PhD is Founder and Research Director of Canadian Institute For Genomics And Society | Toronto. Her work integrates bioethics, science policy, and public engagement strategies to shape evidence-based decisions in health and biomedical innovation, including genomics, precision medicine, stem cell and regenerative therapies, and artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. As Founder and Research Director of the Canadian Institute for Genomics and Society (Genomics4S), I have advanced participatory research, ethical governance, and policy innovation in emerging biotechnologies. Partnering with leading researchers, scientists, policymakers, and industry stakeholders, I have enabled strategic collaboration on initiatives that navigate the ethical and societal dimensions of biomedical innovation. With prior leadership experience at Loyalist College’s Applied Research and Innovation Office and University of Alberta’s Centre for Public Involvement, I have also contributed to fostering cross-sectoral innovation through applied research, policy development, and strategic partnerships. My executive and management expertise spans research administration, grant development, research ethics, team-building, and stakeholder engagement. I am driven by a commitment to responsible research and innovation, ensuring inclusive public discourse around transformative scientific advancements.

Other Posts

A new study argues Neuralink could become an instrument of “psychopolitics,” turning mental data into a means of influence. Drawing parallels with apps that shape behaviour, the researchers ask what happens when that influence reaches [...]

This case puts a surrogacy contract on a collision course with a devastating fetal diagnosis. The intended parents requested an abortion under their agreement; the surrogate refused, crossed state lines and is now challenging their [...]

A pig kidney kept Tim Andrews off dialysis for a record 271 days before he received a human donor kidney, offering hope for easing the organ shortage. He entered the procedure assuming he wouldn’t survive, [...]

A new brain implant turns a paralyzed person’s attempted speech and gestures into communication through a digital avatar, giving them back a fuller voice. However, it requires invasive surgery and training tailored to each patient’s [...]

Scientists just grew human brain tissue inside mice engineered to lack their own cortex, a leap for studying schizophrenia and cerebral palsy. It raises the question of how much human neural tissue in another animal [...]

The UN has released the Co-Chairs' Summary from its first Global Dialogue on AI Governance, held in Geneva in July 2026. The Dialogue brought governments and other stakeholders together to address issues including AI safety, [...]