Sandoz Inc., a division of Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis, and US company Pear Therapeutics announced this week that the the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved an app that can be prescribed to help treat opium addicts.
This content was published on
2 minutes
For patients 18 years or older who are currently under the supervision of a clinician, reSET-O is indicated as a prescription-only mobile medical application, Novartis noted in a media statementExternal link.
As a digital therapist, the app is intended to protect patients from relapses with interactive dialogues. Every day, approximately 115 Americans die after overdosing on opioids.
“Digital technologies and data science have incredible potential to unlock the next chapter of medical innovation and to help individuals finally take control of their own health in a meaningful way,” said Sandoz CEO Richard Francis. “New digital therapeutics such as reSET-O also have the potential to fundamentally change how patients interact with their therapies and thus improve patient outcomes. At Sandoz, we are proud to be a joint pioneer in this exciting new field.”
The Novartis generics subsidiary SandozExternal link is responsible for marketing the application prescribed by the physician. In the spring, Sandoz signed a cooperation agreement with Pear TherapeuticsExternal link. Sandoz says it hopes to be able to charge $15 (CHF15) per month for the app. However, the price is not yet definite, the NZZ am Sonntag reported.External link
The US regulatory authority has been convinced by its success. Over 12 weeks, 170 patients participated in an opiate withdrawal program. All received a replacement drug. However, 82.4% of those who used the app remained in the program. In the group without a supportive app, only 68.4% managed the full three months, the FDA reported in a press release.
In the United States, 48.5 million people are addicted to drugs. About 18.5% of the adult population consume illegal drugs such as heroin or abuse legal substances such as painkillers. Alcoholics are not included in the figures.
The statistics also reflect the devastating opium dependence of broad sections of the population. The problem is widely blamed on the lax prescription practice of new, supposedly non-addictive painkillers since the 1990s. The “economic burden” of this epidemic amounts to $78.5 billion annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and PreventionExternal link.
Swiss football boss wants crackdown on individual hooligans
This content was published on
The head of the Swiss Football League says he prefers a harsher approach to individual hooligans rather than collective punishment measures affecting all fans.
Amherd: Council of Europe is ‘as urgently needed as ever’
This content was published on
The Swiss government emphasised on Sunday the vital role of the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe, 75 years after it was founded.
Swiss minister: Italy will back Switzerland in EU talks
This content was published on
Bern can count on the backing of Italy as it re-enters talks with the European Union on future relations, Viola Amherd says.
Student protestors at University of Lausanne continue pro-Palestine sit-in
This content was published on
Since Thursday, a hall on campus has been occupied by students calling for a boycott of Israeli academic institutions and a ceasefire in Gaza.
This content was published on
Swiss public broadcasters RTS and SRF are drastically reducing their communications via the social network X (formerly Twitter).
Israel: president of Swiss universities rejects academic boycott
This content was published on
Luciana Vaccaro, president of Swissuniversities, the umbrella group of Swiss universities, is not in favour of an academic boycott of Israeli universities.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Novartis to cut 2,200 Swiss jobs by 2020
This content was published on
Around 1,500 jobs are affected in production and 700 in services. Novartis currently employs 13,000 people across Switzerland.
Too few pharma companies prioritise access to medicines
This content was published on
Novartis and Roche both get a boost in the 2018 ranking of progress in expanding access to medicines by the biggest pharmaceutical companies.
Pharma companies put faith in AI for breakthroughs
This content was published on
Global pharmaceutical companies are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to develop new drugs. But this may not soon lead to lower prices.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.