Portugal joins HealthAI’s global AI health regulator network

Portugal has become the first European Union member state to join HealthAI’s Global Regulatory Network, a move that puts the country inside a growing international group focused on safe, effective and equitable AI in health. The agreement was signed in Lisbon alongside the WHO Global Conference on Artificial Intelligence for Health.

Why it matters: - Portugal’s entry gives the HealthAI Global Regulatory Network its first EU member state, expanding the network’s reach as governments try to set rules for AI in health. - The move comes as the European Union’s AI Act enters full effect and health systems across Europe accelerate adoption of AI-powered tools. - HealthAI says the agreement strengthens global cooperation on patient safety, data protection and responsible innovation in health systems.

What happened: - HealthAI welcomed Portugal into the Global Regulatory Network as the first European Union member state to formally join the platform. - The signing took place in Lisbon on the sidelines of the WHO Global Conference on Artificial Intelligence for Health. - Portugal’s Health Minister Ana Paula Martins and Minister for State Reform Gonçalo Matias attended the ceremony. - Professor Rui Santos Ivo, president of INFARMED, and Dr. Ricardo Baptista Leite, CEO of HealthAI, signed the agreement.

The details: - The Global Regulatory Network brings together health regulators focused on the safe, effective and equitable use of artificial intelligence in health systems. - Portugal joins peer regulators from the United Kingdom, Singapore, India, Brazil, Vietnam, Indonesia, Zambia, the Philippines and Peru. - The network will give Portuguese health officials a channel for peer exchange and strategic dialogue with counterparts in other member countries. - INFARMED is Portugal’s government agency responsible for evaluating, authorizing, regulating and controlling human medicines, medical devices and cosmetics. - INFARMED also handles health technology assessment and supervision of medicinal and health products from research through use by healthcare professionals and patients. - HealthAI’s CEO, Dr. Ricardo Baptista Leite, said Portugal brings expertise, regulatory frameworks and a commitment to ethical, human-centric AI governance. - Professor Rui Santos Ivo said international cooperation will help INFARMED become a leading authority on digital and AI-based technologies.

Between the lines: - Portugal is positioning itself as an early European actor in AI health governance rather than waiting for broader EU coordination to settle. - The agreement gives HealthAI a symbolic win inside the EU market, which could help the organization recruit additional regulators. - The timing suggests regulators are moving from general AI principles toward cross-border coordination on implementation.

What’s next: - Portuguese officials are expected to use the network to share regulatory experience and shape governance approaches for AI in health. - HealthAI will continue building the network as more countries join. - The organization says it wants no region, including EU member states, left out of global efforts to manage AI in health safely.

The bottom line: - Portugal’s membership gives HealthAI a foothold in the European Union and signals that AI health regulation is becoming a more coordinated international effort.