Although it may sound hard to believe, AI will be able to authorize extensions of your prescriptions. Utah state authorities announced a partnership with Doctronic under which an AI-based system can autonomously approve renewals of previously prescribed medications. As emphasized in the official statement, the solution does not involve issuing new prescriptions or diagnosing patients—AI operates strictly within an existing treatment plan.
According to information provided by the state, the system may renew prescriptions only for non-controlled medications. The AI analyzes available patient medical data and, if it detects irregularities or missing information, refers the case to a physician instead of making an independent decision.
Utah’s decision represents a significant regulatory precedent, as it is the first time in the U.S. that an algorithm—rather than a human—has been formally authorized to approve the dispensing of medication within the healthcare system. The initiative aims to reduce physicians’ administrative burden, but state officials stress that oversight of the system remains with regulators. If the program proves successful in Utah, other states are likely to follow a similar path.
Doctronic has sought to reassure regulators that its system is safe and effective. In data submitted to Utah authorities, the company compared its AI’s decisions with physicians’ decisions in 500 urgent care cases. According to Doctronic, the treatment plans proposed by the AI matched physicians’ decisions in 99.2% of cases.
Doctronic co-founder Dr. Adam Oskowitz, a surgeon and associate professor at the University of California, San Francisco, argues that AI’s advantage lies in the consistency of its data analysis: “The AI is actually better than doctors at doing this,” Oskowitz said. “When you go see a doctor, it’s not going to do all the checks that the AI is doing.”
It is also worth noting that the Utah program is being closely watched by other states and federal stakeholders. At the national level, there are currently no unified regulations allowing AI to independently make clinical decisions, and Utah’s case could become a reference point in future legal debates about the role of artificial intelligence in medicine.
The announcement did not provide a detailed timeline for the program or specify its planned duration. It also did not disclose the exact number of patients who will be included or the metrics that will be used to assess effectiveness. Utah officials limited themselves to stating that the initiative is groundbreaking and will be carried out under the supervision of the appropriate
