Digital Therapeutics, or DTx for short, is one of the hottest buzzwords in digital health. Unlike other trends (NFT, Metaverse, etc.), we view DTx to be a meaningful trend with the potential to make personalised healthcare more personalized.
What is Digital Therapeutics?
Digital Therapeutics Alliance defines the principal professional hub as:
“Digital therapeutics (DTx), which are evidence-based therapeutic interventions, use high-quality software programs that drive them to treat, prevent, or manage a medical disorder. They can be used in conjunction with other therapies, medications, or devices to optimize patient care and improve health outcomes.
DTx is a software company that offers clinically backed, evidence-based solutions for managing and/or improving health conditions using digital health technology and/or software.
Download the most recent DTx Value Assessment & Integration Guide.
What's it good for?
There are many DTx solutions available, and the Alliance maintains a product library. However, even though they acknowledge that not all products are in stock, there is a steady increase in the number. There are many healthcare sectors that are able to make the most of the potential. Diabetes care and mental health apps are both well represented in the application. Some of these applications are subscription-only.
We have also seen promising new ventures outside of these established segments. It is worth keeping an eye out for them.
It is good for you.
DTx solutions are usually delivered via smartphone apps. This means that almost everyone can access the DTx solution via their smartphone apps. Accessibility is a key factor in any new solution becoming widely used. However, it also allows for privacy. Treatments can be brought to patients' homes and stigmas removed.
Let's summarise the basics and look at some real-life examples.
1. Treatment for atopic Dermatitis (eczema).
Sidekick Health, a digital therapeutics company, has teamed up with Pfizer to create a digital therapy solution for Atopic Dermatitis (AD). Their solution was briefly presented on our Patreon page. Sam Oddsson, co-founder of Sidekick Health, is interviewed here.
The partnership fulfills three essential criteria, which can greatly support its success:
- A digital health company partners up with a pharmaceutical company
- Digital therapeutics are the focus
- Atopic Dermatitis is a specialty area.
It is often more feasible to target niche areas with clearly defined solutions than trying to reach the entire healthcare spectrum, as we have already mentioned many times.
The results are encouraging. Patients who used the app in addition to their regular treatment regimen reported significant improvement in symptoms and better adherence to preventive and treatment measures.
2. Treatment for cancer
Sidekick has just announced a new partnership. They teamed up to support Eli Lilly's oncology treatments programs. This will help target the key pain points in breast cancer treatment. The collaboration will launch in Germany in July 2022, with potential expansion to other countries.
What are the main pain points? Anxiety, pain, nausea, and a lack of understanding or adherence to treatment are all common symptoms. Often, you feel isolated and disconnected from the care team.
Kaiku Health also offers a CE-marked MDD class IIa application that can be used to treat 25 types of cancer in various countries including Germany, Switzerland and Finland.
3. DTX targets behavioural health conditions
Ensemble was the first app of Happify, a New York-based company. It was created to provide apps-based exercises that help you change your negative thinking patterns and build healthy habits.
Basis, a non-prescription tool that helps with symptoms of anxiety, stress and depression, has been developed by the company.
Both of the solutions mentioned above target specific problems and have a defined target audience. Neither of these solutions tries to address all health conditions simultaneously.
This company is clearly trying to build a castle around the cores by offering condition-specific communities and A.I. The company offers live and/or based health coaching and a Wellness app. This app is a larger scope than we normally like and aims to bring together all of the above into one application that can be used by a wider audience.
4. DTx for substance abuse and sleep-wake disorders
Pear Therapeutics developed a prescription-only DTx app called Somryst to treat insomnia in patients over 22. There are strict limitations on the use of this solution, including job descriptions and health conditions. The early stages of treatment can increase sleepiness. This is definitely not recommended for many professions, such as truck drivers or operators of heavy machinery.
The app uses a method called sleep restriction and consolidation. It limits the time patients spend in bed to correspond with their sleep time. The app is supported by a clinician-facing dashboard that allows healthcare professionals to monitor the use of the app by patients, their severity, and their sleep metrics.
Other prescription-only DTx options are available from the company, called reSET or reSET-O. These solutions target substance use disorders and Opioid Use Disorders through cognitive behavioural therapy. Both can be used in outpatient treatment under the supervision of clinicians.
Another important development is reSET-A. This tool, which targets alcohol addiction, has been granted Breakthrough Device Designations by FDA last fall. However, it still needs to be cleared.
5. Chronic Pain Treatments
Last but not least, there is also a great use of DTx tools in chronic pain management. VR was found to be quite effective in relieving symptoms and even received FDA approval.
Existing solutions include RelieVRx and HelloBetter which both use cognitive behavioural therapy principles to alleviate chronic pain.
AppliedVR, which developed the app, has several other apps in development. The application that targets chronic back pain management is the most advanced. Others are in progress including opioid-sparing treatment for a variety of conditions as well as general pain and anxiety management for specific conditions.
But this isn't all.
You will be able to see other solutions that target a variety of symptoms, including ADHD in children, asthma, migraine, and many more in adults by looking at the DTx Alliance's product library.
Next, the important question is how quickly and easily these can penetrate normal, everyday healthcare and medical practice. We will continue to see how this develops over the next few years. We believe that DTx will be a powerful tool to empower patients and provide more rewarding treatment options for health professionals.
The Medical Futurist published The New Buzz: These are the Top Examples of Digital Therapeutics.
——————————————————————————————————————————————-
This blog is a source of general information and discussion on health and related topics. Information and materials on this blog, on the website, or in any of the connected materials are not intended to replace or used as a substitute for the advice of a medical professional, diagnosis, or treatment. This blog does not represent the application of any nursing, medical or other health professional advice or diagnosis. We are unable to diagnose health conditions, offer second opinions or provide specific treatment recommendations via this blog or on our website.
If you or another person is suffering from a medical issue and you are concerned, consult your doctor or seek out other medical professional treatment as soon as possible. Do not disregard medical advice from a professional or delay seeking it due to information you seen on the blog or website or in any of the linked materials. If you're experiencing an emergency medical situation, dial 911 or seek emergency medical assistance on the closest phone immediately.
——————————————————————————————————————————————
By: Andrea Koncz
Title: The New Buzz: These Are The Top Examples Of Digital Therapeutics
Sourced From: medicalfuturist.com/the-new-buzz-these-are-the-top-examples-of-digital-therapeutics
Published Date: Tue, 21 Jun 2022 08:00:00 +0000
Leave a Reply