Utah Becomes Second US State to Allow AI Chatbot to Prescribe Psychiatric Medications

Utah has authorized a one-year pilot program allowing an AI chatbot developed by startup Legion Health to renew certain psychiatric medication prescriptions without a physician, making it only the second US state to delegate clinical prescribing authority to an artificial intelligence system, The Verge reported. The pilot, announced through Utah's state commerce department, permits Legion Health's AI system to handle refills for patients already established on specific psychiatric medications. State officials framed the program as a way to reduce costs and expand access to mental health care in a state that, like much of the US, faces a significant shortage of psychiatrists. Physicians and patient advocates have raised concerns about the opacity of the AI system's decision-making and the risks of delegating medication authority to a system that cannot perform clinical assessments the way a trained psychiatrist can. Critics argue that psychiatric prescribing -- which involves managing medications with significant side effects and drug interaction risks -- is not well-suited to automation, particularly for patients who may be in crisis. Legion Health, a San Francisco startup, markets the system as offering patients fast, simple prescription refills. The company must operate under the supervision framework established by Utah's pilot agreement, which includes guardrails on the types of medications and clinical circumstances the AI can handle. The regulatory experiment reflects a broader trend of US states moving independently on AI governance in healthcare, filling a void left by the absence of federal legislation. The outcome of Utah's pilot is likely to inform debates in other states considering similar programs.