Nolla Health Launches the Nation's First AI-Powered Prescriptions, Starting in Utah
May 23, 2026
Nolla Health is the first organization in the U.S. authorized by a state regulator for AI to issue an initial prescription, not just a refill. Starting in Utah, our Nolla Derm app will prescribe effective acne treatment from $4.99 a month. No office visit, no unaffordable bill.
Utah residents 18 and older can download the app and get started today.
The access gap
More than 80% of U.S. counties are healthcare deserts. This affects over 120 million people, about one in three Americans. In Utah, roughly 100,000 people have active acne at any given time, and only 10% ever see a dermatologist.
The average wait for an appointment in Utah is nearly double the national median at 61 days. Eleven counties have no dermatologist at all. A visit can cost up to $300. While patients wait for an appointment, untreated acne can lead to permanent scarring and further drive up treatment costs.
We built Nolla Derm to close this gap. After months of work with the Utah Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy, we secured authorization for the country’s first pilot of AI-issued initial prescriptions.
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. 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.
Luis Wenus, co-founder and CEO of Nolla Health
How it works
Utah residents can download the Nolla Derm app and opt in at a discounted $4.99/month. Each patient verifies their identity, goes through informed consent, a short intake questionnaire, and a quick five-angle face scan. In about 10–15 minutes, this generates a personalized treatment plan and, if appropriate, an initial prescription.
A physician oversees every stage of the pilot:
- Stage one (first 100 patients): two licensed physicians independently review and approve every AI-generated prescription before it reaches the patient.
- Stage two (up to 500 patients): Nolla Derm issues prescriptions directly, and a physician reviews every case after the fact, at least weekly.
- Stage three: physicians review a sample of at least 10% of prescriptions every month, plus every case involving an escalation or a side effect.
Stage one runs for at least four weeks and stage two for at least eight. Moving to the next stage requires meeting safety targets, including 95% agreement with physicians and zero serious adverse events, and written approval from the state.
Prescriptions arrive by home delivery or pharmacy pickup. Daily skin scans track progress, and treatment plans are reviewed after every 28 scans (about every one to two months) based on how each unique patient responds. Patients can message a licensed physician through the app at any time, at no extra cost. Messages to the physician team are answered by a licensed physician, not AI.
Safety and clinical evidence
Licensed clinicians agree with Nolla Derm’s treatment recommendations in 96% of real-world cases. Discrepancies are minor adjustments such as the strength of a topical, rather than disagreements about the treatment itself.
Acne treatment is the right place to start: well understood, low risk, and backed by decades of clinical evidence. Nolla Derm is also not a general-purpose AI tool. It selects between pre-approved topical treatment plans using structured clinical inputs and an AI assessment of the face scan. The prescription flow has no free-text interface, so the system cannot go off script. Severe acne, pregnancy, and other conditions outside the pilot are sent to a licensed physician or to in-person care instead of receiving an AI prescription. By embedding strict clinical guardrails from day one, Nolla Health ensures that patient safety leads the way as we navigate the evolving landscape of healthcare technology.
There’s been a lot of noise about AI in healthcare, and a lot of it deserves scrutiny. 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 should be held to.
Dr. Zaid Fadul, overseeing physician
We are proud to have developed this pilot alongside the Utah Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy. Practicing physicians, dermatologists, and members of the Utah government reviewed it over multiple rounds before launch. Read the official Utah announcement.
Download the app
Utah residents 18 and over can download the app and enroll in the pilot today. Not in Utah? You can still use the app under clinician guidance, already downloaded by more than 175,000 people across 44 states.
