The impact of digital therapeutics on the pharmaceutical industry in the treatment of mental health disorders

Abstract

Digital alternatives to traditional treatment methods for mental health disorders are increasing. These digital therapeutics pose a threat to the traditional pharmaceutical company, having the ability to potentially replace some medications in the treatment. While the digital therapeutics sector is growing, the economic implications of the technology for pharmaceutical companiesis rarely discussed in academic literature. This dissertation aims to close the knowledge gap by providing ex-ante predictions of the disruption potential of digital therapeutics in the treatment of mental health disorders.A mixed research approach consisting of both expert interviews and a survey was used to collect market insights from both digital therapeutic and pharmaceutical industries. In combination with knowledge gathered from current literature, predictions about the disruption potential of digital therapeutics in the mental health care market were made. The findings indicated a high disruption potential for digital therapeutics within the mental health care market. A complete displacement of pharmaceuticals is unlikely. For future research, additional medical specialties or competitive capabilities of pharmaceutical companies can be examined as the market environment constantly changes.

Date of Award	28 Jun 2022
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Peter V. Rajsingh (Supervisor)