The UK's medical device regulatory body, MHRA, admitted it had concerns about Babylon Health's symptom checker, prompting wider questions about the service. 

In a letter to Dr. David Watkins, an NHS consultant oncologist who had been raising alarms about the robustness of the technology, Dr. Duncan McPherson, clinical director for devices at MHRA, stated: "Your concerns are all valid and ones that we share."

The MHRA's concerns focused on safety issues, including potential errors in diagnosing serious conditions like heart attacks. There were also concerns about the unclear purpose of the chatbot, with confusing disclaimers that appeared to contradict its actual use.

The regulator's response suggested worries about the lack of transparency and proper oversight of the technology. While it was limited in what it could publicly disclose about any specific investigations due to confidentiality constraints, the MHRA indicated that the issues raised highlighted the need to develop a new regulatory framework for medical devices in the UK. 

Babylon Health maintained that it complied with the highest safety and regulatory standards and was in the process of applying for European certification for the symptom checker.