Nolla Health is the first U.S. organization authorized to allow AI to issue initial prescriptions. The pilot system is starting in Utah, focusing on acne.

In Utah, getting an appointment to treat acne is difficult. For example, the average wait for a dermatologist is 61 days. According to Nolla Health, 11 counties in Utah don’t even have a dermatologist. As a result, people must wait for treatment, their skin gets worse, and the risk of scarring goes way up. Plus, visits could cost up to $300.

Nolla Health is working with the Utah Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy to launch a pilot program in which adults can get an AI prescription for $4.99 per month.

AI Prescription

Photo: Chay_Tee/Shutterstock

Users download the app, verify their identity, answer a questionnaire, and complete a face scan. In about 15 minutes, the AI generates a customized treatment plan. In addition to the AI software, real doctors are helping. The AI only chooses from pre-approved topical treatments. Cases with severe acne or pregnancy are sent to a licensed physician.

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For the first 100 patients, two doctors approve every AI prescription. For the next 500, the AI issues the prescription, but a doctor reviews it afterward. Later, doctors review a 10% sample of all prescriptions. Patients can message a doctor anytime, and medicine arrives by delivery or pharmacy pickup.

An AI System with a Doc’s Help

“Growing up with a doctor in the family, I saw firsthand the impact access to healthcare had for us and every neighbor and friend who came to our door for help. Most people don’t have that opportunity,” Luis Wenus, co-founder and CEO of Nolla Health, explained. “We’re proud to launch the first AI-powered prescriptions in the country because we believe everyone deserves access to high-quality care and personalized treatment at an affordable cost. That’s the standard Nolla Derm is setting.”

Human doctors agreed with the AI’s choices 96% of the time in real-world tests. Disagreements were minor adjustments, such as medication strength.

“There’s been a lot of noise about AI in healthcare, and a lot of it deserves scrutiny,” Dr. Zaid Fadul, the overseeing physician, said. “What sets Nolla apart is the clinical rigor behind it. The AI isn’t making freeform decisions. It’s selecting from pre-approved protocols reviewed by physicians, and clinicians are built into every stage. That’s a standard AI in medicine that should be held to.”