Renewal, Not New Prescribing

Utah started testing AI for prescription refills without physician signoff in January, as PYMNTS reported at the time. The state partnered with startup Doctronic to cover common chronic medications like statins and blood pressure drugs, spanning nearly 200 medications across primary care, according to Fierce Healthcare.

Legion’s scope is narrower, aimed squarely at mental health access. Most Utah counties are designated mental health provider shortage areas, leaving up to 500,000 residents without adequate behavioral care, according to the Utah Office of AI Policy.

The AI’s guardrails are tight. It cannot issue new prescriptions, adjust doses or handle controlled substances, benzodiazepines or antipsychotics. Patients must be stable and on an existing treatment plan with a licensed psychiatrist and must not have had a psychiatric hospitalization in the past year. Any signs of suicidality, mania, severe side effects or pregnancy trigger an immediate handoff to a human clinician, as detailed by the Utah Office of AI Policy.

The oversight structure is phased. The first 250 renewals by the AI require physician review before reaching the pharmacy, with a minimum agreement rate of more 98% required to proceed.

The next 1,000 renewals are reviewed after the fact, requiring a greater-than-99% threshold before shifting to randomized monthly tests, the Utah Office of AI Policy stated. Legion is required to file monthly reports on accuracy, physician alignment and any adverse outcomes under the policy.

The structure reflects Doctronic’s earlier mishaps. Within weeks of its launch, security researchers were able to push the system to triple a patient’s opioid dosage and generate misinformation about vaccines, as reported by The Verge.

The Access Case and Its Limits

State officials said the program would allow patients to get care “much more quickly and affordably,” freeing providers to focus on more complex cases, according to The Verge. Legion Co-founder and CEO Yash Patel described the pilot as “the beginning of something much bigger than refills.”

The demand for AI in healthcare is already there. More than 40 million people worldwide use ChatGPT daily for health-related queries, with about 70% happening outside clinic hours, as covered by PYMNTS.

Stanford GSB research found that a customized AI system cut prescription near-misses by about 33% in a pharmacy setting, but only with tight domain constraints and human review at dispensing. Without those conditions, broader AI models produced error rates between 50% and 400% higher than existing systems.

Critics aren’t convinced the access argument holds. Brent Kious, a psychiatrist and professor at the University of Utah School of Medicine, told The Verge the benefits of an AI refill system “may be overstated” and won’t reach the patients who need care most, since users must already be in treatment. He also warned of an “epidemic of over-treatment,” with patients staying on medications longer than necessary.

Utah’s 12-month pilot is designed to collect safety data to determine whether the model can expand to other states or tighten the limits regulators allow. Findings are due before the end of the year.

By HANNAH SCHOENBAUM and ANDREW DALTON

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A Utah judge is set to hear arguments Tuesday on a protective order sought by a former partner against Taylor Frankie Paul, the star of “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” and a recently filmed season of “The Bachelorette” that was canceled over abuse allegations in the relationship.

GUNNISON, Utah — As drought conditions across the state worsen, with many in central Utah already feeling the impact, state leaders are preparing to offer relief to farmers. The Utah Department of Agriculture claims help is on the way for what’s expected to be one of the toughest growing seasons in years.

Longtime central Utah farmer Allen Dyreng says this year stands out.

“I’ve seen years close to this, but not this bad. This is the worst year,” Dyreng said.

Dyreng pointed to dramatically low reservoir levels in Gunnison, where water supplies are far below normal.

“Right now, our reservoirs are at 7% of capacity. We have 1,800 acre-feet of water in storage, and we usually have 23,000,” he said. “They’ll likely be emptied by the first of June.”

The situation marks a sharp contrast from just a few years ago.

In 2021, the Gunnison Reservoir ran completely dry. By 2023, improved runoff briefly brought some relief, with water levels partially recovering. But now, conditions have reversed again.

Cox won’t rule out drought declaration if Utah’s water woes intensify:

Drought declaration not ruled out if Utah’s water woes intensify, Cox says

Dyreng is now retired but was president of Gunnison Irrigation Company for about 20 years and farmed land for nearly five decades that had been in his family for generations. He said the lack of water will significantly reduce how much land farmers can use this season.

“We normally are able to grow crops on 14,000 acres,” Dyrent explained. “We would be lucky this year to have crops on 5,000 acres.”

The state is working to prevent long-term damage to Utah’s agricultural industry.

“Water is their lifeblood,” said Kelly Pehrson, commissioner of the Utah Department of Agriculture. “We don’t want to lose farms in Utah.”

Utah is expecting an emergency disaster declaration that would open the door to low-interest loans and additional support programs, including grazing improvement and water optimization grants.

“We’ve got to figure out a way to bring hope back to them,” Pehrson said. “This is going to be a tough year. No doubt about it.”

Drought conditions continue to intensify across the region. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, much of Utah is now experiencing extreme to exceptional drought, with conditions worsening in just the past week.

For farmers, the impact goes far beyond inconvenience.

“I think this year we will deliver the least amount of water on record,” Dyreng said. “It cuts pretty deep into every aspect of the economy down here.”

State leaders say they plan to meet directly with farmers in communities across Utah later this month to better understand the needs and connect them with available resources.

More information can be found at ag.utah.gov.