Is AI the new disruptor in erectile dysfunction?
Erectile dysfunction (ED) issues affect approximately 2 in every 3 males over the age of 45 years of age and be related to a number of biological and psychological causes. ED is defined as the inability to achieve or sustain an erection firm enough for desired sexual performance (usually penetrative sex).
There are many treatments for ED, ranging from surgical interventions, medicines, lifestyle change and therapy. ED is also big business, with the drug sales market alone estimated at $2.6 billion in 2002 with forecast growth to $5.1 billion by 2032 according to industry market research.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in simple terms; is the ability of a computer system to do tasks that previously required human intelligence to do so, including learning, reasoning and decision-making.
A review article from researchers at the University of Texas, has discussed how AI is potentially the new disruptor in erectile dysfunction and men’s health. Below we discuss the areas of AI these researchers have identified for the future treatment of ED.
Examples of AI assisting Erectile Dysfunction
Virtual health assistants– to overcome the stigma and shame some men feel when discussing ED directly with a clinician, virtual assistants (VA) provide an environment where the man can feel comfortable and not threatened when disclosing erectile concerns. VA’s respond to the patient’s answers, and provide preliminary diagnosis’ and suggested diagnostic tests to be performed.
Surgery– with the use of augmented reality-assisted surgery, AI can provide Urologists with real-time assistance in anatomical landmarks location and guide processes in complicated patient scenarios.
AI surgical simulators also assist trainee’s or surgeons ‘with a low volume of a particular procedure to practice in a virtual environment, providing instant feedback and guidance, ensuring that they are well-prepared before they operate on real patients.’
Individual treatment plans– there are often many causes as to why a man may experience ED. As such, treatment plans are not always tailored to an individual’s personal needs.
AI through the process of deep learning, is able to sift through and triage a large volume of clinical features specific to each man and produce individual treatment plans unique to his situation.
Enhanced drug discovery & therapy– AI is already embedded in the pharmaceutical development of medicines and compounds. By expanding complex databases of molecules, proteins and genes, AI can identify which chemical compounds interact better than others with new medicines.
For example, researchers have used AI in animal models to discover that hirudin ‘the main active ingredient in the leech, could ameliorate the ED symptoms of the Diabetic Erectile Dysfunction’ in mice.
Rehabilitation & post-treatment monitoring– Machine learning algorithms are already in place within some rehabilitation settings. Early work with AI and erectile issues using chatbot delivered diagnostic questionnaires is used in some settings, although formal evaluation of these AI programs remains lacking according to researchers.
Ethical considerations with AI in ED- AI is advancing more and more into healthcare, however very little has translated (at time of article publication) into the treatment of ED although this is forecast to change.
The reasons why this delay is occurring is due to both ethical and practical considerations, refer to chart below.
(Source: Sanchez, D., Slovacek, H. and Wang, R., 2024. Shaping the future of men’s sexual health: How artificial intelligence can assist in the management and treatment of erectile dysfunction. UroPrecision, 2(1), pp.1-8.)
Real Men’s Health Takeaway
The researchers concluded their review of AI and ED by stating, ‘by offering more accurate diagnostics, augmenting surgeries in real time and in education, enhancing research output, tailoring treatments to individual needs, and providing supportive virtual environments, AI is poised to transform the way we understand and address ED’.
