An AI system is now prescribing medication to patients in Utah—no doctor required. The state has recently launched a pilot program that lets AI prescribe repeat medication, marking the first time in the U.S. that an AI has been given clinical authority without human oversight.
The program, which began last month, allows an AI system to verify patient prescription histories, walk them through clinical questions, and send approved renewals directly to pharmacies. State officials say the program is a way to reduce costs, prevent medication lapses, and ease the burden on doctors, particularly in rural areas where clinicians are already stretched thin. However, physician groups say they were worried about the risks that come with a lack of human oversight in even minor clinical decisions.
“Any time clinical decisions are made without appropriate physician oversight, patients are put at risk. Medicine isn’t just about arriving at an answer; it’s about judgment, context, and accountability,” John Whyte, CEO of the American Medical Association, told Fortune.
AI gets clincial authority
The state’s commerce department has waived certain rules for a year-long trial, which is run in partnership with health-tech startup Doctronic. Margaret Busse, Executive Director at Utah Department of Commerce, told Fortune that the waiver was part of a “regulatory mitigation” program designed to safely test innovative AI tools.
