Dr. Eugene Manley, Founder and CEO of the SCHEQ Foundation, joined host Iris Hardrick for Episode 82 of Conversations with Iris podcast titled: “AI, Cancer & Health Equity: Making Technology Work for the Patients Left Behind.” In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, Dr. Manley discusses how artificial intelligence is already shaping cancer care – and why equity must be intentionally designed into healthcare innovation from the start.
As both a cancer scientist and a longtime health equity advocate, Dr. Manley explains that AI is not inherently good or bad. Rather, it reflects the systems, data, and decision-making processes behind it. When underserved communities are underrepresented in datasets, clinical trials, and program design, technology can unintentionally reinforce disparities instead of closing them.
Key takeaways:
- How AI is increasingly used in clinical workflows and decision pathways – often invisibly to patients.
- Why diverse and representative datasets are critical for patient safety
- The risks of deploying algorithms that are not validated across populations
- The importance of biomarker testing and guideline-informed care in cancer treatment
- How patients can advocate before, during, and after surgery, especially when facing medical racism and record fabrication.
He also shares personal experiences navigating the healthcare system, highlighting how documentation, assumptions, and structural inequities can impact patient outcomes – and what patients can do to protect themselves.
Why This Conversation Matters
Cancer disparities persist across screening, diagnosis, treatment access, and survival outcomes – particularly in Black, Hispanic, and other underserved communities.
As precision medicine and AI-driven tools expand, there is growing urgency to ensure:
- Innovation does not outpace accountability
- Community voices are included in system design
- Trust is built before technology is deployed
- Dignity remains central to patient care
At SCHEQ, we believe that no patient should be left behind by innovation.
Our work centers plain-language education, representation in health materials, and community-informed programming to improve cancer literacy and access.As precision medicine and AI-driven tools expand, there is growing urgency to ensure:
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