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Utah has approved a pilot program allowing the AI system from healthcare startup Nolla Health to scan faces and issue acne prescriptions. On Monday, the company announced that residents in the state can use its app to analyze acne severity and receive treatment plans without traditional doctor visits for every case. This marks the first time in the country an AI system has issued initial prescriptions, though other companies are currently using similar technology to renew medications in Utah.

The service operates under a gradually loosening oversight structure. For the first 100 patients, two physicians must approve each prescription before it is issued. After that milestone, doctors will review only a sample of at least 10% of prescriptions monthly, plus any cases involving side effects or treatment escalations. Nolla Health states its goal is to complement rather than replace physicians by handling routine, low-acuity cases so dermatologists can focus on complex patients.

The program costs $4.99 per month and is available only to Utah residents aged 18 or older with mild-to-moderate acne. Users must be directed to a physician if the AI cannot confidently select a treatment. The system currently has the capability to prescribe eight different skin treatments.