Abstract: Digital therapeutics (DTxs) are health apps and websites that support the self-management, prevention, and treatment of a variety of health conditions. In the United States, most DTxs require a prescription from a medical professional for users to gain access. In addition, nearly all DTxs undergo clinical trials for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. Several frameworks exist to guide the ethical collection and use of data for Internet applications (apps), such as McCoy and colleagues’ “Ethical Responsibilities for Companies that Process Personal Data (McCoy et al 2023). Although many aspects of this framework can be applied to DTXs, there are some aspects that do not address these tools’ implications, such as the imperative to minimize the collection of data, and the imperative to offer fewer choices about data. In this talk, we will identify how where this framework can be useful for DTXs and where it is limited. We conclude with recommendations for augmenting this framework to be more useful for DTXs.
Learning Objectives:
After participating in this conference, attendees should be able to:
Understand the definition, functions, and uses of digital therapeutics.
Examine how ethical frameworks relate to AI-enabled digital technology of digital therapeutics
Identify specific ethical concerns raised by digital therapeutics
