Utah gives startup Nolla Health permission to start issuing AI automated prescriptions for acne treatments

Utah has become the first U.S. state to grant an artificial intelligence startup, Nolla Health, permission to automate prescription refills with minimal oversight from human physicians. Nolla Health has launched a pilot project that enables acne sufferers to receive prescriptions through its Nolla Derm app on iOS devices. Users can upload a facial scan, and the AI will select an appropriate topical treatment from a shortlist of physician-approved options.

Any requests outside the AI's limits will be forwarded to a licensed human physician. The prescription can be picked up at a local pharmacy or sent to the user's home. The AI will track patient progress through daily skin scans and update treatment plans monthly. Nolla Health is the first organization in the U.S. (and possibly the world) to receive regulatory approval for an AI to issue initial prescriptions.

The company's AI system is permitted to write prescriptions only for topical acne creams, not for isotretinoin or oral medications. The pilot program has three stages, with the first involving human approval for AI-generated prescriptions. If successful, the AI will progress to prescribing directly without human oversight for a larger patient base.

Eventually, human physicians will review a small percentage of automated prescriptions monthly. Nolla Health's Chief Medical Adviser, Zaid Fadul, envisions AI managing a significant portion of routine healthcare in the future, but not for serious conditions or major procedures.