AI-generated acne prescriptions are now available in Utah, where healthcare startup Nolla Health has launched a service that lets users scan their faces through its app. The system then analyses acne severity and autonomously writes a prescription, with the pilot programme announced earlier this week.
The offering is being rolled out with gradually reduced physician oversight. For the first 100 patients, two physicians will approve each AI-generated prescription before it is issued. Doctors will then begin reviewing prescriptions only after they have been issued, for up to 500 patients. Beyond that point, physicians will review a sample of at least 10% of prescriptions every month, along with every case involving an escalation or a side effect.
How the Pilot Programme Works
The service is restricted to Utah residents aged 18 or over who have mild-to-moderate acne. It costs £3.99 a month. Should the AI system be unable to confidently select a treatment, Nolla Health says users will be directed to a physician. The company’s AI can currently prescribe eight different skin treatments.
Nolla Health describes the pilot as designed to complement rather than replace physicians. By handling routine, low-acuity cases, the company says its Nolla Derm service frees dermatologists to focus on complex, high-risk patients.
AI Prescribing Expands in Utah
Several other healthcare companies are experimenting with AI-generated prescriptions in Utah, which began allowing AI systems to renew certain medications earlier this year. Nolla Health states that it is the first in the country to issue initial prescriptions rather than renewals.
The acne treatment service represents an early example of AI being used for diagnostic and prescribing tasks previously reserved for licensed medical professionals. The programme’s structure means human oversight tapers off as the patient count grows, shifting from case-by-case approval towards periodic sampling. Nolla Health’s AI is limited to eight skin treatments at launch.
Source
Image: theverge.com
