"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."
"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."
"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. "We really hope that this can shed light on where AI can be used responsibly in low-risk interactions in medicine that can help drive down costs and increase access. Because we all know we have a crisis...we desperately need technological solutions to help drive those costs down," she said."
Utah launched a year-long pilot that allows an AI system to verify prescription histories, conduct clinical questions, and send approved renewals directly to pharmacies without a doctor. The commerce department waived certain rules for the trial in partnership with health-tech startup Doctronic. State officials framed the program as a way to reduce costs, prevent medication lapses, and ease clinician burdens, especially in rural areas. Physician groups raised concerns about risks from lack of human oversight and emphasized judgment, context, and accountability in clinical decisions. The pilot could reach tens of thousands of patients if scaled and aims to test AI in low-risk interactions.
Read at Fortune
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