AMCP Partnership Forum: The evolving role of digital therapeutics

Digital health tools, specifically digital therapeutics (DTx), which are primarily used to prevent, manage, and treat medical conditions, pose both challenges and opportunities to the health care system. To address needs related to coverage evaluation and access to DTx, AMCP held a virtual multistakeholder forum from August 31 to September 1, 2021. The group of 41 experts convened included representatives from payer, pharmacy benefit manager, integrated delivery system, patient advocacy, and DTx innovator organizations, along with individual health economists, academicians, and other key stakeholders. Participants were asked to (1) identify current marketplace challenges and areas of opportunity around coverage and use of DTx and (2) provide input to assist health care decision makers in making coverage decisions for DTx. Areas of opportunity identified by participants included standardizing product definitions and categorization across the DTx industry; emphasizing the value of regulatory approval in establishing standards of evidence for DTx; establishing evidence frameworks to guide coverage and reimbursement decisions for DTx; considering unique DTx product aspects such as data security, privacy, and product updates; advancing awareness and professional expertise in DTx among all health care stakeholders; and promoting DTx adoption and equitable access. DISCLOSURES: Connected Content, Ltd., received payment from AMCP for the preparation of this manuscript. Dr Flavin was an employee of IngenioRx at the time of the forum and is an adjunct associate professor at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy. Dr Dharbhamalla reports no conflicts of interest; she is employed by AMCP. The event was sponsored by the following: Akili, Pear Therapeutics, Pfizer, PhRMA, Simon-Kucher & Partners, Takeda, Theranica, and Woebot Health. Representatives from Akili, Pear Therapeutics, Pfizer, PhRMA, Simon-Kucher & Partners, Takeda, Theranica, and Woebot Health joined as either panelists or participants.