With the accelerated advance of artificial intelligence (AI) in various spheres, medicine has become one of the impacted areas. In February 2026, the Federal Council of Medicine (CFM) published specific guidelines for the use of this technology in the sector, which came into effect on August 26th.
The purpose of CFM Resolution No. 2,454/2026 is to establish clear parameters so that AI serves as support for doctors' work. Experts were consulted to detail these new standards.
The resolution determines that the autonomy and responsibility inherent to the physician remain intact. This implies that AI can never make the final clinical decision; the professional remains responsible for diagnoses, prescriptions, and treatments.
Additionally, the physician has the right to reject or interrupt the use of AI tools that they deem inadequate or ineffective. It is mandatory that the use of this technology be duly recorded in the patient's medical record.
Karlyse Claudino Belli, an expert in AI applied to health, stated that CFM Resolution No. 2,454/2026 represents the first Brazilian milestone to define clear rules about the use of AI in medicine. She emphasized that the central role of AI is to assist the doctor, keeping the decision always under human control.
For the expert, the regulation guarantees three rights to the patient: knowledge about when AI was involved in the care, the possibility to refuse its use, and greater assurance that diagnoses and treatments are communicated by a person, not by an algorithm.
To organize the implementation of AI in medicine, the resolution classifies different risk levels. According to Karlyse Belli, when applied correctly, AI has the capacity to reduce errors due to omission and free up the doctor's time to dedicate to active listening to the patient.
The expert concluded that the existence of the resolution aims to allow these gains without outsourcing the relationship between doctor and patient.
Miguel Sabino, a professor at the Paulista School of Medicine (EPM) and coordinator of the scientific committee of the Brazilian Society of Plastic Surgery (SBCP), shared his perspective on the progress of AI in the area. He considers that the technology currently possesses 'fundamental utilities.'
Sabino described how, in the past, a doctor needed to consult books or colleagues to formulate diagnostic hypotheses. Today, AI offers immediate answers, being quite reliable, although not 100% safe, provided the professional knows how to request and interpret the information.
Furthermore, he mentioned that AI significantly assists in drafting medical documents, especially when reviewed and supervised by the area professional, rationally optimizing the doctor's time.
Looking to the future, Sabino predicts scenarios that seem like science fiction. He cited the evolution of humanoid robots and the great applicability of human-controlled robots in surgical procedures, classifying this as a major technical advancement.
The specialist believes that, in the medium term, the combination of a humanoid robot with advanced AI could create machines capable of performing activities in various fields, including medicine and surgery, replacing human technicians.
However, Sabino raised two important caveats: firstly, the need for total consideration and preservation of privacy and identity aspects. Secondly, he warned that humanity requires welcome and dignified treatment, and that this human connection should not be completely lost.