WHO Adds AI, Interoperability to ICD-11 in 2025

WHO has released the 2025 edition of the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD-11). The latest update introduces digital advances, expanded linguistic accessibility (14 languages), and interoperability with external health systems.

"With the new updates, the ICD-11 offers more ease of use, improved interoperability and accuracy, which will benefit national health systems and the people they serve," said Dr. Robert Jakob, Team Leader of the Classifications and Terminologies Unit, WHO. ICD-11 advances reduce administrative burdens on healthcare providers, allowing them to focus more on patient care while minimizing training requirements, states WHO. 

ICD-11 was adopted by the World Health Assembly in 2019 to track health trends and advance medical scientific and medical knowledge. The classification system, used by health professionals and policymakers worldwide, facilitates efforts toward health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and aids decision-making in medical, administrative, and policy fields, indicates WHO. 

The 2025 edition includes advanced natural language processing (NLP) and API-based coding, for integration across health information systems. WHO states that enhanced spelling correction and language variation recognition will help minimize data entry errors, improving accuracy in disease classification and reporting. ICD-11 now supports interoperability with external classification systems such as Orphanet and MedDRA, further streamlining data exchange.

ICD-11 is now available in 14 languages, and aims to increase global reach, according to WHO.  The latest update incorporates a dedicated module for traditional medicine systems including Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani. This addition allows for systematic tracking of traditional medicine services, supporting global research, evidence-based policymaking, and reporting. Updates in the classification of immune system disorders have also enabled health practitioners to address autoimmune diseases with more precision.