The American Medical Association is pressing for new legal and technical protections to address the growing use of AI-generated media that impersonates physicians, outlining a policy framework focused on identity protection and patient safety.

Developed by the AMA Center for Digital Health and AI, the framework aims to address what the organization describes as gaps in current law around the unauthorized use of a physician’s name, likeness, and voice. The effort comes as synthetic media tools become more accessible and incidents of fabricated medical endorsements and impersonation scams increase.

“AI deepfakes that impersonate physicians are not just scams, they are a public health and safety crisis,” said AMA CEO John Whyte, M.D., MPH. “When bad actors exploit a doctor’s identity, they undermine patient trust and can steer people toward harmful, unproven care. We need strong action by federal and state lawmakers to protect physicians’ identities, ensure transparency, and stop this fraud. Safeguarding professional integrity is essential to preserving trust and delivering high-quality care in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.”
The AMA’s proposal centers on seven policy areas. It calls for recognizing physician identity, such as name, image, voice, and digital replicas as a protected right that cannot be used without explicit consent. It also recommends banning deceptive AI-generated content that falsely suggests a physician’s endorsement or involvement.

The framework emphasizes opt-in, revocable consent for any authorized use of a physician’s identity and calls for clear labeling of AI-generated materials, including watermarking and advance disclosure to patients. It assigns responsibility to technology platforms, health systems, and vendors to detect and remove impersonating content and to implement safeguards against misuse.

Additional recommendations include establishing enforcement mechanisms that allow physicians to report misuse and seek remedies, while enabling regulators to track and act on impersonation cases. The AMA also stresses minimizing administrative burden by standardizing consent processes and making identity protections the default.

The organization said it plans to work with policymakers and industry stakeholders to advance the proposals.

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