Noncompliance with medical regimens is a tough problem, especially when it comes to patients with serious mental health issues, such as schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder.
According to The New York Times, medical noncompliance costs the United States $100 billion annually, mainly because failure to adhere to treatment leads to sicker patients who often require expensive hospitalization.
But some doctors worry that digital medications could present their own problems, as patients feel “tracked” by medical professionals and others.
“If used improperly, it could foster more mistrust instead of trust,” Ameet Sarpatwari, an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School, told the Times.
And psychiatrist Dr. Peter Kramer, who wrote “Listening to Prozac,” said drugs like Abilify Mycite come with a built-in “tattletale.”
A ” ‘digital drug’ sounds like a potentially coercive tool,” he told the Times.
The newspaper noted that similar digital drugs are being developed for a range of conditions, including heart disease, stroke, HIV and diabetes.
Watch the full “CEO Spotlight” with Dr. William Carson interview here.