Background: In recent decades, artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly gained a growing position in various scientific and technological fields, particularly in healthcare and medicine. One of the remarkable applications of AI lies in its precision and speed in diagnosing and treating certain diseases. Despite these advancements, ethical challenges remain a significant concern for the medical community in adopting and expanding its use in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. The aim of the present study is to systematically review the ethical challenges of using AI in disease diagnosis and treatment. Materials and Methods: An independent review was conducted by two individuals based on PICO criteria, aligned with the research objective, and following the PRISMA checklist. The review utilized databases such as PubMed, CINAHL, Medline, Web of Science, SID, the Google Scholar search engine, and Boolean operators. The time frame was limited to the years ۲۰۱۸ to ۲۰۲۴, using MESH keywords such as "Artificial Intelligence," "Diagnosis," "Treatment," "Ethical," and "Challenge." After assessing the inclusion and exclusion criteria and critically evaluating the quality of the selected articles, a total of ۱۱ articles were included in the study. Results: The findings of the studies indicate that the most significant ethical challenges in the application of artificial intelligence can be categorized into two main areas: technical factors (accuracy and sensitivity, reliability, the need for continuous updates, data security, transparency, and trust in the decision-making processes of AI models) and human factors (responsibility for oversight and consent to use, privacy concerns, potential negative impacts of over-reliance on AI, such as the depersonalization of care and treatment and economic effects on the medical profession, and the necessity of ensuring equitable access to AI diagnostic tools without restrictions favoring wealthy institutions). Conclusion: The implementation of advanced artificial intelligence in medical diagnosis and treatment recommendations brings numerous ethical challenges that require immediate attention. It is recommended to develop and adopt comprehensive ethical principles and frameworks with an emphasis on patient well-being, privacy protection, and trust-building. Additionally, prioritizing the education of healthcare professionals on ethical principles in the use of AI for diagnosis and treatment, as well as preventing the complete replacement of human elements, should be part of the agenda.
