Pathologies and technologies for digital therapeutics: An analysis of global clinical trials.

Abstract

CDigital therapeutics (DTx) are software-based medical devices that deliver evidence-based therapeutic interventions directly to patients. While the clinical use of DTx is expanding rapidly, regulatory fragmentation and the absence of harmonized legal definitions hinder their assessment and reimbursement policies, as well as their integration into healthcare systems. There is currently a lack of comprehensive overviews of DTx clinical development, which are essential for informing policy, research and regulatory priorities. This paper provides an updated overview of randomised clinical trials involving DTx. 254 eligible trials on DTx, (defined according to ISO/TR 11147:2023) registered through January 2025 were identified through a search on ClinicalTrials.gov. Mobile applications represent the most prevalent technology (65%), followed by web-based tools and virtual reality (20%). Psychiatric disorders are the primary therapeutic target (52% of the studies) with insomnia, depression, and anxiety being the most addressed conditions. Trials were primarily conducted in North America (41%) and Europe (32%), where Germany, Spain, and Italy represent the most active countries. The analysis of clinical trials registrations on ClinicalTrials.gov reveals a heterogenous geographical distribution of DTx development but also a clear direction in the type of conditions for which they are mostly indicated, namely psychiatric and nervous system disorders. The fragmented policies on DTx reimbursement, even among EU countries, and the different capacity of governments to fund DTx research and development emerge as key factors, along with cultural and ethical issues, in determining the willingness of the industry to invest in these devices.