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Probabilistic Discrimination

Meaning

Probabilistic Discrimination is a statistical and ethical concept describing the unintentional bias that can arise in algorithmic risk assessment models when they use group-level prevalence data to estimate an individual’s health risk or likelihood of a specific disease. In personalized medicine, this occurs when a model uses demographic factors like age, race, or sex—which are often correlated with underlying health disparities—as proxies for true biological risk. This practice can lead to clinical decisions, such as recommending or denying an intervention, that are systematically less accurate or equitable for members of a minority or high-risk group. It is a significant challenge to equitable, data-driven hormonal health protocols.