Dr. Mario is in the house and is set to get paid to tackle depression!
This has been a “serious†year for NOT SO “serious gamesâ€â€¦
– A ground breaking pilot study showed Mario could be a very effective tool in addressing Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).
– Human and health services has announced the intent to begin paying makers (Developers) and prescribers (Doctors) for mental health related digital therapeutics (DTx).
– The FDA has shown the ability to clear video game based DTx for over-the-counter (OTC) treatments.
The path has been laid that will allow video games and other immersive media to take their place in the treatment of mental health.
It is not as simple as the headline, as this article helps explain, but it demonstrates a true path for video games to be legitimized and paid as therapeutics.
Article Notes:
One article correction, OTC does not mean without FDA clearance. Over-the-counter is a FDA cleared therapy that can be purchased without a prescription. This a harder clearance to obtain because the treatment must prove it is safe and effective without direct doctor approval or oversight.
In the end all these treatments will work best together, with a doctor involved, but OTC truly helps with the accessibility and affordability of care.
