UK accepts all 44 AI-healthcare regulation recommendations, shifting from one-off approval toward lifecycle monitoring as AI Airlock Phase 3 opens

What changed

The UK government and MHRA confirmed on October 6 that they accept all 44 recommendations from the National Commission into the Regulation of AI in Healthcare. The central shift is from heavy reliance on one-time pre-market assessment toward lifecycle regulation covering updates, real-world performance and post-market risk. The MHRA simultaneously opened AI Airlock Phase 3 to test post-market surveillance and lifecycle regulation using real AI-enabled medical devices. Draft guidance on managing changes to adaptive AI devices is planned by December 2026, with a full implementation roadmap due by spring 2027.