ANF highlights AI’s potential as an “ally” in the healthcare ecosystem

AI was at the center of Tuesday’s conference, “Sharing Ideas | AI in Healthcare: Innovation and Regulation”, organized by the Knowledge Institute in partnership with Health Forum XXI, held at the Abreu Advogados Auditorium. The ANF president participated in the “Regulation” panel and anticipated an increasingly relevant role for AI in the healthcare sector, as a “driver of innovation and efficiency.”

“AI will become an increasingly present and natural ally in the healthcare ecosystem over the next three to five years—not as something futuristic, but as a tool integrated into the daily lives of professionals and patients,” said Ema Paulino. In community pharmacies, AI could “support personalized counseling, help with early detection of clinical risks, and facilitate closer and more efficient therapy follow-up.”

ANF is already exploring AI integration to support the network of community pharmacies, bringing benefits not only in proximity and personalized care but also in management, contributing to operational efficiency.

“ANF intends to develop its own chatbot to support pharmacies—a generative language model that aggregates information from relevant knowledge sources and can respond quickly, objectively, and reliably to questions posed by pharmacies in real time,” revealed Ema Paulino.

The HiCorr Index, which monitors and tracks respiratory symptoms and detects epidemic activity peaks in advance, was another example mentioned by the Association’s president. Although not AI-based, this is a case where data use could evolve if strengthened with the tool in question.

Ema Paulino also addressed the challenges AI brings, particularly in terms of ethics and privacy, ensuring that it is not “a substitute for clinical or professional responsibility,” and that supervision by healthcare professionals remains “indispensable.”

The panel, moderated by Ana Simões Ferreira, from Abreu Advogados, also included the participation of Adalberto Campos Fernandes, former Minister of Health and chairman of Health Forum XXI; Rui Santos Ivo, president of INFARMED; and Catarina Mascarenhas from Abreu Advogados.