COVID-19 Accelerated Use of Digital Therapeutics, but Coverage Issues and Regulatory Questions Could
About 35 to 40 digital therapeutics have been approved by the FDA since 2017, though the agency doesn’t have a specific definition for the products.
73% of U.S. adults described digital health tools as convenient, while 60% said they are safe and 56% said they are accurate.
42% of adults said artificial intelligence can help clinicians deliver better health care, while 21% said AI can make it more difficult to provide quality care.
Digital therapeutics — clinically tested tools that deliver medical interventions via software — have been gaining traction for years, with products that treat a range of conditions, including diabetes, mental health issues and cancer. Now, the digital health field’s explosive growth during the COVID-19 pandemic is helping these companies carve out a space for their products, but the young sector still faces regulatory and payer-side challenges that could slow its widespread adoption.