Navigating the Ethico-Legal Landscape of Blockchain in Healthcare: A Critical Analysis

Abstract

Blockchain technology offers improved data security, interoperability, and patient empowerment, which could revolutionize the healthcare industry. Its incorporation, however, calls for thorough evaluation of the complicated legal and ethical issues. The global pandemic has exposed the current healthcare system's lack of interoperability and the requirement for reliable clinical data that can be efficiently and securely disseminated to healthcare providers on a large scale. This analysis explores important issues such as algorithmic bias, informed consent, data privacy and ownership, and legal barriers. It looks at current regulatory frameworks and new best practices for using blockchain responsibly in the healthcare industry, highlighting the necessity of stakeholder collaboration to guarantee safe, reliable, and equitable healthcare systems. In light of the above perspective, this chapter explores the ethical and legal implications of blockchain in the healthcare sector. It critically overviews the current laws and regulations in force to implement blockchain in healthcare.