DOCSLIB.ORG

What-Is-Digital-Medicine-And-Why-Does-It-Matter.Pdf

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
What-Is-Digital-Medicine-And-Why-Does-It-Matter.Pdf What is digital medicine and why does it matter? Content Foreword 3 Executive Summary 4 In search of a magic pill 6 Digital Health: from wellness to clinically driven solutions 7 Defining digital medicine 8 What would a winning DTx solution require? 11 Demonstration of proven efficacy through clinical trials 11 Regulatory clearance by FDA or an equivalent 12 Incorporation into the standard of care and provider prescribed/payor reimbursed model 14 Viable business model 15 White-box AI based predictive and personalised clinical intervention and patient guidance based on clinical grade data 16 Compliance with the highest standards of cybersecurity and privacy 18 Openness and flexibility of system and data architecture 20 Which areas are most ready for digital therapeutics, and why? 22 Where is value for me? 24 Pharmaceutical companies 24 Large technology players 27 Start-up and scale-up tech pure-plays and venture investors 29 Insurance companies 30 Healthcare providers 32 Private equity 33 How we can help 35 We help clients build, grow and transform their businesses 35 Why Engelworks 36 References 37 References 37 Figures 38 ©Engelworks Limited 2019 3 What is digital medicine and why does it matter? Carl Engelmarc, Founder & CEO, and Irina Pafomova, Managing Partner. Foreword It’s common knowledge that health systems We love feedback, around the world are under incredible cost so please email us at pressure, and everyone would love to find [email protected] and sustainable solutions to this problem. [email protected]. Is digital therapeutics the magic pill everyone has been looking for? Our research shows that there is potentially massive value in digital therapeutics, and to some extent, this has already been proven. In this paper, we look at where the value sits, and how incumbents, upstarts and venture and private equity investors could unlock it. At Engelworks, we help companies in the health sector create sustainable value through smart and innovative growth strategies, business models and new products and services. Our perspective is informed by our 360° experience of working with big pharma and healthcare providers, as well as building and scaling businesses and investing in them. If you do have a DTx challenge in mind, please get in touch. ©Engelworks Limited 2019 4 What is digital medicine and why does it matter? 2024 $379bn The digital health market is projected to reach $379bn by 2024 Executive summary interventions, clinical grade data quality, compliance with the highest standards of With all health systems being under privacy and cybersecurity, and transparency high-cost pressure, digital medicine in using AI (‘white box’) is a must. and digital therapeutics (‘DTx’) are well placed to help raise the quality Inclusion into standard care and payor of care while reducing costs. reimbursement lists are essential for gaining broad adoption, as the Large pharma companies have seen a majority of consumers are reluctant collapse in their R&D returns over the to pay for their care out of pocket. past decade, which has led to a lacklustre Outcome-linked pricing models help performance in the public markets. make DTx more attractive to payors. On the contrary, investors have shown much enthusiasm for digital health Our research shows that DTx is best and wellbeing, where US$14.6bn was positioned for health conditions that can be invested in 2018 (14x 2010). The addressed, by behavioural solutions; areas digital health market is projected where demand is outgrowing treatment to reach $379bn by 2024. capacity (e.g. elderly care); conditions where connected devices can play a huge role in As digital health matures, investment medical adherence (e.g. asthma and COPD), focus is shifting from consumer and personalised, or precision medicine. wellness applications to DTx, which are clinically focussed solutions DTx could help pharma companies for disease management. improve their R&D returns by shifting from a pill to a total care package for both DTx products need to demonstrate existing drugs and pipeline assets or even efficacy through clinical trials and obtain launching digital-only solutions. As they regulatory clearance to be successful. As lack DTx implementation capabilities, DTx provide direct personalised clinical the best strategy would be partnering ©Engelworks Limited 2019 5 What is digital medicine and why does it matter? with tech companies which have built For healthcare providers using DTx could cross-sector platforms to support R&D help cut costs and improve the retention or buying niche tech players for key of customers by providing them with more therapeutic areas and scaling them. convenient and cost-efficient treatment options. This value could be realised via We believe that the best ways of capturing partnerships with startups providing the value in DTx for Big Tech players are on-point solutions, or buying a startup building or buying & scaling platforms and rolling out a solution globally and/ to provide functional cross-therapeutic or rolling up other companies/solutions area solutions in the digital medicine into a new model care provider. space. Extending their wellness products into health by partnering with healthcare Given high multiples paid by private equity companies for expertise and market access; (‘PE’) firms for healthcare assets and and building digital-led, behaviour change more extended holding periods, building a driven total care products in growing reliable growth engine becomes crucial. PE therapeutic areas such as autoimmune firms are well positioned to create platform and mental health conditions. solutions for a particular therapeutic area or a function using an acquired asset as For startup and scale up tech pure-plays a core, and complementing it with bolt- and investors in this space the most on acquisitions. With their robust access significant opportunity is creating a highly to capital, PE firms could build disruptive focussed DTx solution for a therapeutic models that can disintermediate traditional area, function or geography. For those industry players, e.g. new model clinics. with access to large volumes of capital, a roll-up of on-point technologies and Healthcare has been a slow-moving becoming a systems integrator for a industry that works on evidence, particular therapeutic area might be an precedence and practices that spread excellent way to accelerate value creation. from flagship projects. However, once a few of these projects get results, For insurance companies, DTx presents we will see what happens very rarely an opportunity to cut the volume of in healthcare: a sudden and very, very claims by using digital diagnostics and rapid change and exponential growth. disease management tools, improve We believe that DTx is approaching its customer retention by providing them inflexion point, so the time to act would with more convenient treatment options be now. and attractive insurance deals, as well as unlock new customer segments that were previously uninsurable. The best way to realise this value is through partnerships and selective acquisitions. ©Engelworks Limited 2019 6 In search of a magic pill Research by Roche UK indicates that 82% of 16-24 year olds want to see more use It is common knowledge that healthcare of digital technology on the NHS. 63% systems in most countries have been of young people would be comfortable creaking under the strain of growing with a chatbot giving them a diagnosis.3 costs exacerbated by new lifestyle- related epidemics such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension. Can a piece of software code be the ‘magic pill’ that would $14.6bn help solve the problem? was invested in digital health & wellbeing Investors are certainly prepared to bet in 2018 on this: the current decade has seen a rush of investment into digital health & wellbeing, with US$14.6bn being invested in 2018, which is 14 times more than in 2010.1 An average deal has gone up by $6m to $21m in 2018 vs 2017. The This is x14 times largest deal in 2018 was a $300m Series C more than in 2010 funding round for Grail, which has created a solution for early detection of cancer using a test for circulating cancer DNA. A recent report by Global Market Insights estimates that the digital health market 2018 will reach $379bn by 2024.2 ©Engelworks Limited 2019 7 What is digital medicine and why does it matter? FIGURE 1. Your.MD4 is a free service that uses Artificial Intelligence to help customers find safe health information so they can make the best choices for their health. Digital Health: from wellness health data, educate them and help make to clinically driven solutions informed choices. Real-time clinical- grade data helps optimise treatment As digital health matures, investment either involving doctors or in some focus is shifting from consumer wellness instances, without human intervention. applications to clinically focussed solutions. Wellness applications comprising consumer Engaged patients correlate with lower activation solutions brought to life as costs and better outcomes. According to part of the quantified self-movement (e.g. Silicon Valley Bank, healthcare costs for myfitnesspal, Runkeeper) and education least-engaged patients are 21% higher & transparency platforms such as WebMD than those for the most engaged patients. have raised multiple rounds of venture Over the past few years, clinical evidence funding in the early 2010s and have of digital health efficacy has grown successfully exited. As these solutions substantially: of 571 studies published have been largely unregulated, their between 2007 and August 2017, 138 buyers have been predominantly outside were published in January - August the traditional pharma and life sciences 2017. 860 clinical trials were underway space and included sports and fashion as of August 2017, with 82% of US trials comwpanies as well as private equity run by patient care organisations.5 firms. Several category leaders have been created, and as the price of entry has risen, the investor appetite has diminished.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Evaluating Glycemic Control in Patients of South Asian Origin with Type 2 Diabetes Using a Digital Therapeutic Platform: Analysis of Real-World Data
    JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH Krishnakumar et al Original Paper Evaluating Glycemic Control in Patients of South Asian Origin With Type 2 Diabetes Using a Digital Therapeutic Platform: Analysis of Real-World Data Arjun Krishnakumar1, MSc, PhD; Ritika Verma1, MTech, PhD; Rajeev Chawla2, MD; Aravind Sosale3, MBBS; Banshi Saboo4, PhD, MD, DNB; Shilpa Joshi1, MSc; Maaz Shaikh1, MBBS, MPH; Abhishek Shah1, BSc, MBA; Siddhesh Kolwankar1, MD, MHA, MSMIT; Vinod Mattoo1, MBBS, MD 1Wellthy Therapeutics Pvt Ltd, Mumbai, India 2Department of Diabetology, North Delhi Diabetes Centre, New Delhi, India 3Department of Diabetology, Diacon Hospital, Bengaluru, India 4Department of Diabetology, Dia Care-Diabetes Care and Hormone Clinic, Ahmedabad, India Corresponding Author: Siddhesh Kolwankar, MD, MHA, MSMIT Wellthy Therapeutics Pvt Ltd 20, Nagin Mahal, 5th Floor, 82 Veer Nariman Road, Churchgate Mumbai, 400020 India Phone: 91 9833962132 Email: [email protected] Abstract Background: Digital therapeutics are evidence-based therapeutic interventions driven by high-quality software programs for the treatment, prevention, or management of a medical disorder or disease. Many studies in the western population have shown the effectiveness of mobile app±based digital therapeutics for improving glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, few studies have assessed similar outcomes in the South Asian population. Objective: This study aims to investigate the real-world effectiveness of the Wellthy CARE digital therapeutic for improving glycemic control among the South Asian population of Indian origin. Methods: We analyzed deidentified data from 102 patients with T2D from India enrolled in a 16-week structured self-management program delivered using the Wellthy CARE mobile app.
    [Show full text]
  • Digital Therapeutics
    DIGITAL THERAPEUTICS T H E F U T U R E O F D I G I T A L H E A L T H T O O L S A N D V I R T U A L C A R E PREPARED BY Alex Mullin T'21 TUTCHUKTCE UCK CE ECKNNE TCNTEEETRNRE TF RFEO OFRROR FD RODI GDIRGII TDGITAIAGTLALI ST LSTA TSRLRTA SARTTATERETGAGEITEGIESISGESIES PAPGAGEP EA0 G10E42 01 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Digital therapeutics (DTx) are an increasingly attractive field from a patient, provider, and investor perspective. Utilization of virtual care and digital health tools has surged in 2020 and 2021 with COVID-19 limiting access to in-person services. As providers have grown more comfortable with digital modalities, and patients have realized an increased need for self-service or on-demand digital health applications, there is a growing market for digital health interventions. Digital therapeutics are poised to gain traction over the coming years, but face hurdles to adoption related to regulation and reimbursement. Furthermore, these interventions face critical questions in terms of valuation, monetization, and distribution. Furthermore, DTx are still finding their sweet spot in terms of product market fit with regards to which disease areas are best suited to DTx and can provide maximum value creation by way of cost savings. DTx companies must also consider what business models and pricing schemes are most effective. Digital therapeutics (DTx) are evidence-based, software-driven interventions designed to treat a disease by improving a particular clinical outcome BACKGROUND [1]. Digital therapeutics sit at one end of the broader digital
    [Show full text]
  • Digital Medicine's March on Chronic Disease
    RE-IMAGINING MEDICINE COMMENTARY Digital medicine’s march on chronic disease Joseph C Kvedar, Alexander L Fogel, Eric Elenko & Daphne Zohar Digital medicine offers the possibility of continuous monitoring, behavior modification and personalized interventions at low cost, potentially easing the burden of chronic disease in cost-constrained healthcare systems. hronic disease affects approximately half surgeries—successfully addressed leading well as 86% of healthcare costs3–5. The United Cof all adult Americans, accounting for at causes of morbidity and mortality of the time States has the highest disease burden of any least seven of the ten leading causes of death (Table 1)1. In contrast, the most pressing issues developed country6. Trends in the above data and 86% of all healthcare spending. The US facing healthcare in the twenty-first century are expected to worsen in the near future. The healthcare system is ill-equipped to handle our are chronic diseases (e.g., respiratory disor- growth in chronic disease prevalence means epidemic of chronic disease. This is because ders, heart disease and diabetes), and many are that, despite increases in average life span, we most chronic disorders develop outside preventable (e.g., through smoking cessation may be experiencing a decrease in average healthcare settings, and patients with these and diet; Table 1; Fig. 1)2. The increase in the health span (the period of a person’s life spent conditions require continuous intervention prevalence of chronic disease is the primary in generally good health)7. to make the behavioral and lifestyle changes contributor to skyrocketing healthcare costs Why are we continuing to lose ground needed to effectively manage disease.
    [Show full text]
  • Digital Therapeutics Alliance
    Digital Therapeutics: Pharmacy Care Innovation and Implications for Policy Megan Coder, executive director, Digital Therapeutics Alliance Susan Cantrell, chief executive officer, Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy Laura Topor, president, Granada Health and former NCPDP® Trustee Megan Coder, PharmD, MBA Executive Director Digital Therapeutics Alliance Copyright © 2021 DTA What is a digital therapeutic? Digital therapeutics (DTx) deliver therapeutic interventions directly to patients using evidence-based, clinically evaluated software to treat, manage, and prevent a broad spectrum of behavioral, mental, and physical diseases and disorders. Whether DTx products are used independently, in tandem with remote or in-person clinician-delivered therapy, or paired with medications, devices, and other therapies, DTA stands behind rigorous patient-centered core principles, ethical standards, and product development best practices to ensure product integrity, user-centered designs, patient privacy, and validated clinical outcomes. Copyright © 2021 DTA Digital Therapeutic Core Principles Copyright © 2021 DTA What diseases do DTx products target? Blood disorders • ICU delirium Respiratory system disorders • Coagulation disorders, including hemophilia • Opioid use disorder (OUD) • Asthma • Pain (acute, chronic) • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) Neoplasms • Panic disorder, panic attacks • Cancer, side effect management Digestive system disorders • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) • Cancer, drug therapy optimization • Irritable bowel syndrome
    [Show full text]
  • Digital Therapeutics 101: an Introduction and Overview
    Digital Therapeutics 101: An Introduction and Overview Contributing authors: Jeff Liesch, Principal Devin Murphy, Senior Consultant eBook Blue Matter, Copyright © 2021 eBook Digital Therapeutics 101: An Introduction and Overview Contents Introduction 3 Market Definition and Segmentation 4 Product Design 9 Value of DTx 13 Business Models 15 Regulatory Oversight 17 Evidence Generation 19 Reimbursement 21 Distribution, Prescribing Authority, and Channels 23 Ex-U.S. Markets 26 Parting Remarks: Where we are now 27 2 Blue Matter, Copyright © 2021 eBook Digital Therapeutics 101: An Introduction and Overview Introduction Welcome to the interesting world of digital health and health requires incorporation of user experience, engage- more specifically, digital therapeutics! Before diving into ment and usability. In other words, it demands a “patient this guide, it would be helpful to consider why digital centric” experience, which will actually stretch healthcare therapeutics is such a compelling topic these days. There and life sciences into new domains and capabilities cen- are several key factors that have made digital therapeutics tered on the patient. “top of mind” for a diverse range of people and organiza- tions, including biopharmaceutical companies, technology 4. Represent a new class of interventions - We are in companies, healthcare providers, and patients. Consider the early stages of understanding how our interaction that digital therapeutics: with technology can change us for the better (or worse). Part of the interest in digital therapeutics is driven by 1. Challenge the norm - At its most fundamental level, a responsibility to be good stewards by working at the digital health and digital therapeutics are challenging cutting edge of these novel interactions to maximize existing models of care.
    [Show full text]
  • Digital Therapeutics for Obesity and Eating-Related Problems
    Review Endocrinol Metab 2021;36:220-228 https://doi.org/10.3803/EnM.2021.107 Article pISSN 2093-596X · eISSN 2093-5978 Digital Therapeutics for Obesity and Eating-Related Problems Meelim Kim1,2, Hyung Jin Choi1,2 1Department of Biomedical Sciences, 2BK21 Plus Biomedical Science Project Team, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea In recent years, digital technologies have rapidly advanced and are being applied to remedy medical problems. These technologies allow us to monitor and manage our physical and mental health in our daily lives. Since lifestyle modification is the cornerstone of the management of obesity and eating behavior problems, digital therapeutics (DTx) represent a powerful and easily accessible treat- ment modality. This review discusses the critical issues to consider for enhancing the efficacy of DTx in future development initia- tives. To competently adapt and expand public access to DTx, it is important for various stakeholders, including health professionals, patients, and guardians, to collaborate with other industry partners and policy-makers in the ecosystem. Keywords: Digital healthcare; Obesity; Feeding behavior INTRODUCTION patients and healthcare providers that provides real-time infor- mation and analysis [3]. There are also other digital healthcare Digital therapeutics (DTx) is “an evidence-based therapeutic in- companies for diabetes and weight control; Noom, Omada, tervention using high-quality software programs to prevent, Livongo, Lark, Voluntis, and so on. In this review, we discuss manage, or treat a medical disorder or disease” [1]. DTx evidence-based therapeutic interventions driven by high-quality emerged as a novel therapeutic approach for the prevention, software programs. Only telephone calls, short message servic- management, or treatment of chronic, behavior-changeable dis- es, or online web-based servers are excluded from the definition eases in recent years.
    [Show full text]
  • Digital Therapeutics in the NHS: the Rise of Digital Therapies & The
    Digital Therapeutics in the NHS: The rise of digital therapies & the evidence that proves they work In partnership with #DHLCOLLABORATE digitalhealth.london #Digitaltherapeutics DigitalHealth.London Contents 04 Fear over pragmatism? Have we reached the tipping point for evidence and digital therapies? 07 DigitalHealth.London: a pan-London partnership 08 The UK could become a leader in digital health by rolling out a turnkey solution for Digital Therapeutics research 10 Infographic: the digital medicine cabinet is coming of age 12 The balancing act of Digital Therapeutics: how should the NHS bring global innovation in the clinical validation of apps home? 14 Let’s move on from the evidence challenge to explaining what good looks like 16 Evidence is crucial but context can be king in ensuring innovation spread 18 How real world data could be used to generate evidence for digital health 02 Digital Therapeutics in the NHS Foreword The past decade has seen rapid development and adoption of technologies that change the way we live in many areas of day to day life. Digital and connected technologies continue to stake their claim in the health and care industries. In the last few years we have seen the rise of a new type of health technology product — one that promises measurable health outcomes: Digital Therapeutics. It’s clear that Digital Therapeutics holds Our health and care sector continues great promise to enhance patient care, to face difficult challenges. We need to create treatment efficiencies, and ensure universal access to any benefits improve clinical outcomes. However, delivered via innovation through the NHS, the complexities of our current research preventing the system from being left and development system, coupled with amidst a vibrant and growing consumer the costs associated with running robust market.
    [Show full text]
  • Digital Therapeutics: How Cloud Technology Is Enhancing Patient Experience and Outcomes
    WHITE PAPER Digital therapeutics: How cloud technology is enhancing patient experience and outcomes PRESENTED BY: PUBLISHED BY: © 2020 Questex Content Marketing. All rights reserved. All registered trademarks are property of their respective owners. igital therapeutics are becoming an increasingly important tool for how life sciences D companies bring products to market. Investors and pharma companies alike are entering the sector, attracted by mounting evidence that digital technologies drive clinically meaningful improvements in patient outcomes. New entrants, like the pioneers before them, are learning patient-facing digital therapeutics are only part of the solution in supporting the patient journey. To succeed, companies also need a secure, scalable and interoperable system for handling large volumes of potentially sensitive patient data. The amount of data generated from biosensors, wearables and mobile devices will continue to accelerate. The definition of digital therapeutics encompasses several subcategories. Smart pills and connected inhalers support pharmacological interventions by improving adherence and generating insights into patient behavior. Companion apps leverage mobile technology to enhance the patient experience through coaching, feedback on their condition, and actionable insights. Researchers have validated the effectiveness of such interventions. A randomized clinical trial of Propeller Health’s digital health platform for asthma and COPD linked the combination to a significant drop in use of short-acting b-agonists
    [Show full text]
  • Digital Therapeutics and Clinical Pharmacology
    2019;27(1):06-11 TCP Transl Clin Pharmacol https://doi.org/10.12793/tcp.2019.27.1.6 Digital therapeutics and clinical pharmacology Jae-Yong Chung* Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Bundang Hospital, Seongnam 13620, Korea *Correspondence: J. Y. Chung; Tel: +82-31-787-3955, Fax: +82-31-787-4091, E-mail: [email protected] Digital therapeutics (DTx) is a new subsection of digital health that is primarily driven by soft- Received 2 Mar 2019 ware and will be of great interest to clinical pharmacologists. In this article, an overview of DTx, REVIEW Revised 11 Mar 2019 including definition, position in the landscape of therapeutics, product categories, benefits, and Accepted 11 Mar 2019 challenges, is provided. Discussions from the point of view of clinical pharmacology are presented, Keywords as DTx should have exposure-response relationships. The principles of clinical pharmacology can Clinical pharmacology, be applied to DTx as they are comparable to pharmacotherapy. Clinical pharmacology has great po- Digital therapeutics, Healthcare tential in the development, application, and regulation of DTx. pISSN: 2289-0882 eISSN: 2383-5427 Introduction Definition of digital therapeutics The advances in digital technology have converged with medi- DTx, a subset of digital health, is a health discipline and treat- cal science, which has allowed digital health to become a critical ment option that utilizes a digital and often online health tech- part of routine clinical care. Consequently, a new category of nologies to treat a medical or psychological condition.[3] Digi- therapeutics integrating digital technology called Digital Thera- tal health describes all technologies that engage with patients peutics (DTx) has been launched.
    [Show full text]
  • Healthcare Is Shifting from Hospital to Home
    HEALTHCARE IS SHIFTING FROM HOSPITAL TO HOME The evolution of healthcare has been a technology in place that can help patients and remarkable one: what was a time-consuming caregivers monitor vital signs round the clock. process for patients availing services at a clinic Sensors and wearable devices that record a or hospital, is now an on-demand, instant patient’s SPO2, heart rate, breathing, blood service delivered to the patient’s doorstep! pressure, sleep patterns etc. are widely used Delays, queues and waiting times to get an now. These revolutions in this space are taking appointment with the doctor have now been place holistically across the entire health replaced by prompt and user-friendly Tele- ecosystem. Biometric data collected from the consultation and Telemedicine platforms. On- devices is not just for the patients’ knowledge paper medical records that would often be lost but can be seamlessly transferred via Bluetooth or outdated or rife with mistakes, have now or cloud to the physician and systematic become electronic, automated, and easily intervention can be provided. This data can maintained. Basic healthcare and treatment, further be used for medical research or as a access to which was once unimaginable for the dynamic database to power AI and associated remote population, has now become highly platforms. It is, thus, prudent to invest in Health- accessible and democratized. Complementing tech and big data, as leveraging this the developments in healthcare, there is also information is vital to the future of healthcare.
    [Show full text]
  • Utilizing Connected Health Applications in Diabetes Care: Implications for Public Health and Policy in the U.S
    UTILIZING CONNECTED HEALTH APPLICATIONS IN DIABETES CARE: IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH AND POLICY IN THE U.S. A dissertation submitted to the Kent State University College of Public Health in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Heather Mikulski May 2021 A dissertation written by Heather Mikulski B.A., Kent State University, 2008 M.P.P., University of Erfurt, Willy Brandt School of Public Policy, 2010 Ph.D., Kent State University, 2021 Approved by Jonathan VanGeest, Ph.D., Chair, Doctoral Dissertation Committee Sonia Alemagno, Ph.D., Member, Doctoral Dissertation Committee John Hoornbeek, Ph.D., Member, Doctoral Dissertation Committee Kerstin Rebrin, M.D., Ph.D., Member, Doctoral Dissertation Committee Accepted by Sonia Alemagno, Ph.D., Dean, College of Public Health Jeffrey S. Hallam, Ph.D., Associate Dean, College of Public Health ii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ACCRONYMS .............................................................................................................. vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................ x LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................................... xi LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................... xiii Chapter 1: Introduction ..................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Digital Therapeutics
    Investment Area of Interest: Digital Therapeutics July 2020 Introduction to Digital Therapeutics As smartphones and computers equipped with more powerful processors were developed, almost every industry went through some level of technological transformation, including healthcare. Over the past decade, countless digital health products have been developed to diagnose, treat, manage, and prevent health issues. Digital therapeutics are a subset of the broader digital health sector. A digital therapeutic leverages technology and evidence-based interventions to prevent, manage and/or treat physical, mental and behavioral conditions. However, the difference between a digital health product and a digital therapeutic is significant. As the digital health ecosystem evolves, it is crucial to understand the differences between various digital health products. The Digital Therapeutics Alliance distinguishes digital health products from digital medicine & digital therapeutics. Digital health include “technologies, platforms, and systems that engage consumers for lifestyle, wellness, and health related purposes; capture, store, or transmit health data; and/or support life science and clinical operations.”1 These products do not require clinical evidence and do not require regulatory oversight in the U.S. Examples of digital health products include fitness apps like Fitbit Coach, electronic medical record system technology like CareCloud, and telehealth platforms like Teladoc. Digital therapeutics are defined as some type of software that “deliver[s] evidence-based therapeutic interventions to prevent, manage, or treat a medical disorder or disease.”1 Clinical evidence is required for a product to be considered a digital therapeutic, and some regulatory oversight is necessary. An example of a digital therapeutic is Propeller Health, which offers a solution meant to help providers and their patients with asthma and COPD manage their condition, and has been shown to increase medication adherence by nearly 60% and reduce inhaler use by nearly 80%.
    [Show full text]