Nolla Health has launched a Utah pilot that lets its AI system issue acne prescriptions after users scan their faces. The Verge reports that the service costs $4.99 a month and covers residents aged 18 or older with mild-to-moderate acne.
Nolla says it is the first organization in the US with state authorization for AI to issue an initial prescription. That claim concerns starting treatment. The Verge reports that Utah had already allowed AI systems to renew certain medications earlier this year.
Physician review changes in stages
The pilot begins with two physicians independently approving each prescription for the first 100 patients. It then allows direct prescribing for up to 500 patients, with a physician reviewing every case afterward, at least weekly. In the final stage, physicians review at least 10% of prescriptions monthly, plus every escalation or side-effect case.
According to Nolla’s announcement, the first stage lasts at least four weeks and the second at least eight. Progress requires written state approval and safety targets that include 95% agreement with physicians and zero serious adverse events.
The scan is part of a restricted prescription process
Nolla says patients complete identity verification, consent and an intake questionnaire alongside a five-angle face scan. The system selects pre-approved topical treatment plans. It refers severe acne, pregnancy and other cases outside the pilot to physicians or in-person care. Patients can also message a licensed physician through the app at no extra cost.
Sources
- The Verge: This startup is issuing AI-generated acne prescriptions
- Nolla Health: Nolla Health Launches the Nation’s First AI-Powered Prescriptions, Starting in Utah. Lead image credit: Nolla Health, from this announcement.
