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Digital Therapies and AI Transform Traditional Medicine
Isabella V12 July 2024

 


AI AND DIGITAL THERAPIES : A PROMISING FUTURE FOR PERSONALIZED MEDICINE

 

According to a recent research conducted by the Life Science Innovation Observatory of the School of Management of the Politecnico di Milano, in collaboration with several healthcare associations, 65 percent of patients would be willing to follow a digital therapy proposed by their doctor. This willingness increases further when such therapies promise improvements in lifestyle and health (77 percent) and increase awareness of one’s disease condition (72 percent).

The Future of Digital Therapies and Artificial Intelligence.

Within the next five years, artificial intelligence is set to revolutionize personalized medicine. Currently, there are already digital tools for home monitoring of patients, such as sensors, health apps and real-world data collection. In the near future, AI is expected to be implemented in medical settings and the development of digital therapies (DTx), clinically validated solutions that could complement or replace traditional therapies. However, Italy still lacks reference legislation for these new technologies.

 Physicians’ Perspective

The research also involved specialist and general practitioners, thanks to the collaboration with Consulcesi Homnya, Amd, Ame, Fadoi, Simfer and Fimmg. About half of the physicians surveyed were in favor of prescribing digital therapies, as long as patients have the digital skills needed to use them properly (72 percent of specialists and 69 percent of general practitioners). Among the main benefits recognized by physicians, the availability of more data to support both clinical research (68%) and therapeutic decisions (65%) emerges.

 Digital Therapies in the World

Internationally, the Life Science Observatory surveyed 93 currently available digital therapies. These therapies are predominantly used in psychiatry (37%), endocrinology (14%), rheumatology (10%), and oncology (10%). The average cost of a 90-day treatment is about 500 euros. 

Barriers and Opportunities for Businesses

The analysis shows that the main barriers for pharma, biotech and medtech companies in the area of digital therapies are the difficulty in quantifying the benefits of investment and the lack of digital skills. However, the potential of these technologies to improve therapeutic efficacy and management of chronic diseases makes it imperative to overcome these barriers.

 Key Points.

1. Patient Willingness: 65% of patients would accept a digital therapy proposed by their physician, with an increase in availability if these therapies improve quality of life and disease awareness.
2. Medical Perspective: About half of specialist and primary care physicians are ready to prescribe digital therapies, conditional on patients’ digital competence.
3. International Scenario: 93 digital therapies surveyed globally, with prevalence in psychiatry and an average cost of €500 for a 90-day treatment.
4. Challenges for Business: The main barriers for businesses are the difficulty of measuring the benefits of investment and the lack of digital expertise, but the potential for therapeutic improvement is significant.