Hubris in contemporary medicine is less an individual failing than a structural condition produced by professional privilege, institutional incentives, and global asymmetries of power. This Perspective argues that modern health systems mistake technical competence for epistemic completeness, fueling iatrogenic harm and algorithmic inequity. We propose disciplined humility and structural reflexivity as operational principles, translated into concrete practices across clinical, global health, and AI contexts.
Patel et al. (2026) studied this question.