Utah authorizes Nolla AI pilot for topical acne prescriptions

Utah has authorized Nolla Health to test an artificial intelligence system that can recommend and issue prescriptions for topical acne treatments, as the state expands a supervised program for testing health-care AI. The pilot excludes oral medications and isotretinoin, and its first stage requires two physicians to approve every prescription before it is sent to a patient. The agreement, issued by Utah’s Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy and Division of Professional Licensing, sets out a staged process. According to the agreement and Nolla’s account, the initial stage covers at least 100 patients over four weeks. If that threshold is met without serious problems, a later stage may allow the AI to issue prescriptions before physicians review them. The reported plan includes a subsequent stage with monthly review of a portion of prescriptions. Progression depends on meeting the pilot’s conditions; the sources do not establish that Nolla has advanced beyond the initial stage. Nolla’s service is intended to assess acne using a structured intake and images of a patient’s face, then select from a limited list of topical treatments.