With rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, deepfakes have the potential to impact almost every industry. What once started as a curious technology for creating manipulated videos has quickly developed into a serious threat. One area that is particularly sensitive to this technology is medicine.

In the healthcare sector, where precision, trust and security are paramount, deepfakes could cause significant damage. In this article, we explore in detail the dangers of deepfakes in medicine and how this technology could jeopardize the integrity of patient care, diagnostics and trust in medical institutions.

Falsified patient records and diagnoses

One of the most immediate threats of deepfakes in medicine concerns the creation of falsified patient records or the manipulation of medical images and videos. In an increasingly digital healthcare landscape, medical records are stored electronically, opening up new attack vectors for hackers and fraudsters.

Scenario:

A fraudster uses deepfakes to manipulate medical images such as MRIs, X-rays or ultrasound images. In a system that is not adequately protected against such manipulation, this can lead to doctors making false diagnoses and developing incorrect treatment plans. 

Effects:

• False diagnoses: The falsification of medical images could lead to fatal diagnoses. Patients could receive inaccurate treatments that are not only ineffective but also dangerous.
• Damage to health: In the worst case scenario, patients could die as a result of incorrect diagnoses or treatments. Even if the damage is not fatal, a patient’s health could be permanently impaired.
• Loss of trust: If patients learn that their medical data has been manipulated, this would significantly damage their trust in doctors and medical institutions.

Manipulation of videos and audio files in telemedicine

The COVID-19 pandemic has made telemedicine an indispensable part of healthcare. Patients who cannot present in person at a doctor’s office are using video and audio calls to consult with doctors. However, this opens up new opportunities for the use of deepfakes to manipulate these sessions.

Scenario:

Imagine a deepfake video of a patient being used to fake symptoms. The “patient” could communicate with a doctor via a fake video session and provide false information about their medical condition. Similarly, a fake video of a doctor offering a dangerous or unprofessional consultation that never took place could be distributed.

Effects:

• Abuse of medical services: Deepfakes could be used by fraudsters to obtain false sick notes or prescriptions for medication. This could be particularly problematic in the case of expensive medicines or prescription-only substances.
• Health risks for patients: When doctors make decisions based on incorrect information, patients risk serious harm to their health.
• Legal consequences: Fake videos could be used to legally attack doctors by making false claims about their statements or treatments.

Deepfakes to deceive identities and KYC procedures

In medicine, it is becoming increasingly important to accurately verify the identity of patients and healthcare professionals. Identity verification plays a key role in telemedicine and the dispensing of prescription drugs in particular. But here too, deepfakes could be used to undermine these processes.

Scenario:

A fraudster could create a deepfake video that mimics the identity of a real patient in order to access their medical records or services. This could be both financially profitable for the fraudster and lead to identity theft with far-reaching consequences.

Effects:

• Identity theft: Falsified identities could be used to obtain medical services, which could lead to significant financial losses for healthcare systems and insurers.
• Incorrect treatments: A false identity could result in a patient being prescribed medication that they do not need, or health information being misattributed, which can lead to dangerous mistreatment.

Manipulation of medical experts and disinformation

One particularly dangerous possibility of deepfakes in medicine is the manipulation of videos or audio files from well-known medical experts. By publishing fake content, false, dangerous or unprofessional information could reach the public and undermine trust in the medical community.

Scenario:

A fake video of a renowned doctor or virologist is distributed online in which they make a false or questionable medical recommendation – e.g. for the treatment of COVID-19 or cancer. Millions of people could believe this deepfake and follow dangerous, unproven treatment approaches.

Effects:

• Mass disinformation: If fake videos of doctors or medical experts go viral, millions of people could be misled and wrong medical decisions could be made.
• Loss of trust: Trust in medical professionals could be seriously affected if it becomes impossible to distinguish between genuine and falsified claims.

Manipulation of research and medical studies

Medical research is central to progress in healthcare. If deepfakes are used to manipulate research results or scientific studies, this could undermine the entire system of evidence-based medicine.

Scenario:

Falsified data could be used in scientific studies to present ineffective or dangerous drugs as successful. Or a fake video from a research team could show falsified experimental results that never took place.

Effects:

• Undermining scientific integrity: If deepfakes infiltrate scientific research, this could severely damage trust in medical studies and the efficacy of new drugs and treatments.
• Dangerous treatments: If flawed or falsified studies lead to the approval of drugs or treatments, patients could be exposed to significant health risks.

Conclusion: An urgent challenge for the medical community

The threat of deepfakes in medicine is real and poses a major risk. While the technology to create such media content is becoming more sophisticated, many healthcare systems are lagging behind in protecting against this threat. A comprehensive strategy is urgently needed to preserve the integrity of medical data, patient safety and trust in the healthcare system.

Medical institutions need to deploy advanced detection technologies, implement stricter security protocols and educate the medical community about the dangers of deepfakes. Only through targeted action and innovation in cybersecurity can we ensure that the benefits of digitalization in medicine are not compromised by the risks of deepfakes.