Former research director Traci Tamiko Eto claims The Mayo Clinic bypassed safeguards governing AI research, overlooked patient privacy concerns, and retaliated after she raised objections.
The Mayo Clinic is facing a lawsuit from a former research executive who alleges that the healthcare giant cut corners on oversight and compliance as it expanded its use of AI in medical research.
In a complaint filed July 6 in federal court in Minnesota, former Director of Research Operations Traci Tamiko Eto alleges that The Mayo Clinic repeatedly bypassed internal review processes, approved AI-related projects without adequate scrutiny, and prioritized speed and competitiveness over safeguards designed to protect patients and research participants.
The lawsuit centers on The Mayo Clinic’s Human Research Protection Program and the institutional review boards that oversee medical research involving human subjects.
According to the complaint, Eto was hired in December 2023 to help align The Mayo Clinic’s AI practices with standards established by the Biden administration’s October 2023 executive order on artificial intelligence.
Over the following 18 months, Eto claims she uncovered a series of problems in how The Mayo Clinic oversaw AI research. According to the complaint, she became concerned that projects combining patient records with clinical research were moving forward without the internal reviews designed to protect patient privacy. She also alleges that Mayo Clinic officials used exemptions intended for limited circumstances to avoid additional scrutiny.
The lawsuit further alleges that senior Mayo Clinic officials repeatedly bypassed formal review procedures, pressured staff to approve research projects without adequate documentation, and steered proposals toward review panels expected to deliver favorable outcomes.
The complaint also highlights concerns about MAYA, The Mayo Clinic’s AI-powered digital assistant. Eto alleges that researchers concealed unfavorable results and deployed software without the required approvals, thereby creating potential safety and data security risks. The lawsuit says that multiple whistleblower reports raised concerns about the project, but that Mayo Clinic leaders approved it and exempted it from further review.
According to the complaint, Eto formally reported concerns about MAYA to The Mayo Clinic’s legal department in February 2025. She alleges that, within days, she was excluded from leadership meetings and stripped of responsibilities. The lawsuit claims that her supervisors later warned that she was not a good “cultural fit” and placed her on a corrective action plan despite recent praise and a salary increase.
Eto was eventually removed from managing her team and took medical leave in mid-2025 after developing anxiety and depression, according to the filing. While she was on leave, The Mayo Clinic informed her that they eliminated her position as part of restructuring. The lawsuit alleges that hers was the only role affected and that she was subsequently rejected from 15 internal job applications before being terminated in December 2025.
Eto argues that The Mayo Clinic retaliated against her for raising concerns about compliance with federal requirements governing research, patient privacy, and AI oversight. She is seeking lost wages, compensatory damages, punitive damages, and attorneys’ fees.
The Mayo Clinic has not yet filed a response to the allegations, and the claims have not been tested in court.
