Bavarian health minister advocates AI in medicine, insists doctors retain final responsibility
Judith Gerlach told a physicians' conference in Würzburg that AI can detect abnormalities in scans and assist with paperwork, but stressed that medical decisions must remain with human doctors.
Bavarian Health Minister Judith Gerlach used a speech to the Hartmannbund physicians' association in Würzburg on 4 July 2026 to promote the use of artificial intelligence in medical practice, while drawing clear boundaries around its role.
Diagnostic potential
Gerlach said AI systems can already identify anomalies in X-rays, CT scans and pathological findings at an early stage. She singled out severe illnesses such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases, where the earliest possible treatment offers the best outcomes. The minister also pointed to AI's ability to assist in therapy planning, helping clinicians weigh options based on data.
AI can already detect abnormalities early in X-rays, CT scans or pathological findings.
Administrative relief
Beyond clinical work, Gerlach highlighted the technology's capacity to reduce bureaucratic burdens. AI could take over documentation tasks, freeing up medical staff for patient care. She framed this as a practical benefit that could ease pressure on overstretched practices and hospitals.
The limits of technology
Despite her enthusiasm, Gerlach was emphatic that accountability stays with physicians. AI delivers information, probabilities and decision aids, she said, but it does not assume responsibility. Only doctors can grasp the individual distress of a patient.
AI can support. It provides information, probabilities, decision aids, but it does not take responsibility. The individual distress of a person can only be understood by doctors. Technology does not decide over people; people decide with the support of technology.
Political context
The speech was delivered at the state delegates' assembly of the Hartmannbund, a professional association representing German doctors. Gerlach, a member of the Christian Social Union (CSU), used the platform to signal her government's openness to AI adoption in healthcare, while reassuring the medical community that their professional judgment remains paramount.
