Utah permits nation's first AI drug prescriptions
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Utah regulators are allowing artificial intelligence to prescribe some drugs — the first prescriptions in the nation to be filled by a bot rather than a doctor.
Why it matters: Proponents say AI will save patients money and time, especially in rural areas, where physicians are few and far between.
- But critics say potential errors and misuse could threaten patients' safety.
Driving the news: State officials launched the pilot program last month via New York-based tech startup Doctronic, which uses AI to refill certain prescriptions for patients with chronic conditions, Politico reported Tuesday.
- 190 commonly prescribed drugs are eligible. Some medications, such as painkillers, injectables and ADHD drugs, are excluded.
- Only refills are available via AI; the initial prescription must be issued by a human doctor. Doctronic says it refers requests to human physicians if there's any doubt about whether a prescription should be refilled.
The other side: In a statement to Politico, American Medical Association CEO John Whyte said, "While AI has limitless opportunity to transform medicine for the better, without physician input it also poses serious risks to patients and physicians alike."
- AI may miss clinical observations and warning signs a physician would notice, say critics, who fear that patients experiencing addiction could manipulate the automated system to get prescriptions that a human doctor would likely deny.
By the numbers: Doctronic's data showed its AI's prescription recommendations matched those of human doctors in more than 99% of cases, Utah Department of Commerce spokesperson Melanie Hall told Axios.
How it works: A button at the top of Doctronic's website directs Utahns to AI prescription renewals, where patients confirm they're in Utah and share selfies and photo ID.
- Doctronic lists your medications and refill availability. A chatbot asks about your pharmacy, symptoms, other drugs you take, and changes to your medical history.
- If the bot determines your prescription is ineligible for a refill, you can obtain a code for a free video consult with a doctor.
- Early Utah customers may need to do that, as Doctronic is requiring physicians to review the first 250 prescriptions in each drug class before full automation, Politico reported.
Case in point: When I used the site to refill a normally eligible prescription in Salt Lake City, I was denied and transferred to a video chat with a doctor. (I ultimately declined the scrip because I already refilled it recently.)
Zoom out: The program is being administered by the state's Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy, which works with companies developing AI technology that "is going to come up against a regulatory hurdle," Hall said.
- The office is authorized by state lawmakers to draft "mitigation agreements" that waive certain rules — say, that only doctors can prescribe some drugs — while the state monitors "potential issues that may result in harm to consumers," Hall said.
What's next: Utah's program could shape how other states handle AI prescriptions, per a statement from state regulators.
- "Findings will be shared publicly to inform future state and federal AI policy," per the statement. "Operating within Utah's regulatory sandbox, the program tests innovative solutions safely, creating a national model for high-stakes AI regulation in healthcare."