The Utah Medical Licensing Board has called for the suspension of an AI pilot program that automates prescription renewals.
The program, launched through an agreement between the state of Utah and Doctronic, a reportedly free and anonymous online AI platform that provides a diagnosis and treatment plan, allows for “30-, 60- or 90-day renewals for medications that have already been prescribed by a licensed provider.” The board said it was not consulted before the system went live Jan. 6, according to an April 20 letter to the Utah Department of Commerce Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy.
“It is imperative that professionals with medical backgrounds review all proposals prior to implementation to ensure these programs do not compromise patient safety,” the letter said. “We must not allow AI or other financial motivations to override this obligation, yet that is precisely what occurred here.”
The board urged the Utah Department of Commerce’s Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy to immediately suspend the program pending further review. Board members emphasized that prescription refills require clinical reassessment to monitor side effects, adjust dosing and evaluate drug interactions. Allowing automated renewals without provider oversight could leave patients on outdated or ineffective therapies.
The board’s concerns align with broader scrutiny of the program. A recent analysis in The New England Journal of Medicine said the AI system operates without oversight of individual decisions after an initial review period and is limited to 192 commonly prescribed drugs. The authors warned it may miss changes in clinical status and raised questions about whether the tool meets federal requirements for prescriptions to be authorized by a licensed practitioner.
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