What Are Digital Therapeutics?

The world of medicine is changing at a fast pace.

Thanks to technology, it's possible for patients to get the care they need without having to go to a hospital or clinic setting. COVID-19 and our inability to receive therapy and assistance face-to-face is causing acceptance of digital therapy to fast-track to a state of commonplace.  

Innovations in the field are addressing patient needs with the help of mobile apps and wearable monitoring devices. Wellness innovation is reshaping our idea of health and strengthening the connection between mind and body.

Let’s talk about digital therapeutics, its many benefits, and how it’s changing the industry.

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Defining Digital Therapeutics

Digital therapeutics, or DTx, refer to a new and fast-growing trend in the mobile health (mHealth) market for life sciences that include software products used to treat medical conditions. 

We have seen a sudden influx of innovative apps made to allow patients to control their health. More and more known companies and startups are jumping on the bandwagon to rule this emerging market.

These apps work like customer wellness tools; however, their main focus is to deliver clinical outcomes.

Here are some of their features:

• Offer basic tips and guidance on how to deal with common problems such as insomnia, mood disorders, and dietary issues
• Analyze data and help people gauge their health
• Predict future health issues and find the right treatment path before a situation worsens
• Use motivational or cognitive stimulation to cause behavioral change. This can improve the overall health of the population by allowing biopharma companies to adhere in a better manner while also allowing health care providers to offer measures that could help prevent or delay the onset of chronic diseases.
• Connect or link with wearables such as watches and fitness trackers to record data that can be used to understand patients’ health.
• Partner with a drug regimen to answer complex questions and address complicated situations like cancers and asthma.
• Digitally link with medical equipment to track blood pressure, sugar levels, etc.

In addition to this, digital therapeutics can be effective in overall patient wellness and health management as they provide support through different stages of a person’s health care journey. 

They come with the ability to not just collect and synthesize but also analyze patient data. This can allow clinicians to personalize treatment and reduce the risk of complications.

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What Are the Main Benefits of Digital Therapeutics?

Digital therapeutics are not a fad. The technology used in the industry can be used to address unmet patient needs that traditional therapies and treatments have failed to cover.

Digital therapy stays with you, beyond the session or treatment, making a wellness journey a true example of integrated therapy.  

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seems to be in favor of DTx as the organization recognizes the need to modernize its approach. 

In order to boost the industry, the FDA came up with a Software Precertification (Pre-Cert) Pilot Program that launched in 2017. The purpose of the program is to regulate the market and it’s a good indication that the program has the FDA’s blessings. 

Digital therapeutics are not only beneficial for patients but for med-tech and pharmaceutical companies as well. They require little investment and provide an easy way to create new and innovative products, especially when compared to costs associated with a traditional pharmacology or drug device. 

Many companies are shifting R&D investments away from core product lines and toward transformational innovation. Digital therapeutics also offer an opportunity to extend product life cycles, differentiate products in development, and fill gaps in the market that traditional medicine might not be able to address. 

The best thing about the concept is that it benefits both providers and patients.

It's believed that the future is digital. We are moving towards a future where AI, digital sensors, and health wearables will be used to treat people.

While upfront costs may seem high for some patients, it is believed that digital therapeutics will be able to help patients save money in the long-run. Total investment in the industry has topped $600 million with a growing interest in the field.

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Digital Therapeutics and Its Challenges

Digital therapeutics might be the future but it doesn’t come without its challenges, including a lack of experience in the field and the need to educate consumers and clinicians. Not everyone likes the idea of relying on machines and trackers. Plus, digital therapeutics cannot help in all medical-related fields.

MINDCURE's iSTRYM tool offers a secure and adaptive digital therapeutics platform that puts data to use. Along with connecting clinicians and experts of various conditions and illnesses, our AI-driven mental wellness digital therapeutics tool, allows users to collect and monitor data that can be used to make better therapeutic decisions, in concert with professional support. iSTRYM paves the way for better mental health care and psychedelic-assisted therapy.

Get in touch with us today to learn more about how iSTRYM can help you.