Utah will become first state to let AI examine patients and prescribe medication without direct human oversight

Key Points:

• Utah has launched a healthcare program by startup Nolla Health that uses AI to examine and prescribe medication for mild-to-moderate acne without direct human oversight, making it the first state to replace doctors with AI in this capacity.
• The program, limited to one year and costing $4.99 per month, involves patients scanning their faces via an app, with AI analyzing skin condition and recommending one of eight approved topical treatments based on severity and medical history.
• Initially, the first 100 prescriptions will be reviewed by doctors, followed by a phase where AI submits prescriptions with weekly retrospective physician reviews, and finally monthly reviews of at least 10% of prescriptions by doctors.
• Concerns remain about the reliability and safety of AI in healthcare, highlighted by past incidents of harmful AI medical advice and tech companies discontinuing AI health features due to inaccuracies.
• While the current program focuses on low-risk topical treatments, it represents a potential early step toward broader AI involvement in medical diagnosis and treatment for less serious conditions.