Explore what distinguishes prescription digital therapeutics from other types of digital health tools and their potential role in mental health care

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What differentiates apps and PDTs?

In recent years, the health and wellness sector has seen an explosion of devices and apps designed to help users monitor health metrics such as mindfulness, physical activity, and dietary habits. A staggering 250+ new wellness apps were launched daily in 2020; almost half of these focused on management of specific medical conditions.¹ However, sparse evidence exists to support the efficacy of most of these apps in managing these conditions, placing the burden of evaluation on consumers and their care team.^1-3 This has sparked a demand for clinically validated and government-regulated apps, known as digital therapeutics (DTx).⁴ A subset of these apps, regulated as therapeutics and available by prescription, are referred to as prescription DTx (PDTs).⁴ DTx have proven particularly beneficial in the field of mental healthcare, in which there is a pressing need for accessible psychotherapy treatment options with proven effectiveness.⁵

Positive potential for PDTs in healthcare

PDTs are designed to augment existing therapies, using techniques including mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy.^4,6 They offer the potential for continuous, personalized, and transdiagnostic support to patients, with the aim of enhancing functional outcomes and reducing healthcare costs.⁵ From the perspective of healthcare providers, PDTs can offer support to patients without direct access to mental health professionals and can bridge the gap between in-person visits.⁵ PDTs along with other technologies have the potential to improve team-based care leading to more effective treatment plans in psychotherapy and, consequently, a reduction in emergency visits.⁵ The benefits of PDTs are substantial; however, the incorporation of PDTs into mainstream healthcare is not without its challenges. The novelty of DTx may lead to hurdles in regulatory approval, clinician adoption, and patient acceptance.^2,6,7 To navigate these obstacles, clear implementation strategies are needed. These could encompass comprehensive education programs for healthcare providers, the introduction of a digital navigator role to assist with digital treatments, thorough integration processes that involve end users, provision of technology access for low-income patients, and stringent data security measures to safeguard patient information.⁷ As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, PDTs could play a critical role in addressing the complex needs of patients with mental health conditions, offering a promising supplement to traditional treatments. 

Further Reading

• Jacobson NC, et al (Editors). Digital Therapeutics for Mental Health and Addiction, 2023. Academic Press, London, UK. 
  This book covers all aspects of DTx from their history to frameworks for future development to their integration into the clinic.
• Digital Therapeutics Alliance. Available at: https://dtxalliance.org. Last Accessed: April 2024.
  Website of a non-profit trade association providing tools for patients, clinicians, payors, and policy makers to evaluate and use DTx.

Cite this article as Digital Advances: What Are Prescription Digital Therapeutics? Connecting Psychiatry. Published February 2025. Accessed [month day, year]. [URL]

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[October] 2024