Abstract: Medication adherence is the extent to which patients take medication as specifically prescribed by their healthcare professional. Given the significant and dramatic impact, both from a population health and actual direct and indirect cost perspective, nonadherence has been and will continue to be a significant healthcare system and societal burden. Nonadherence to prescription medication treatment is a multifactoral problem that is influenced by several  different dimensions. While many stakeholders have sought to fix the problem, there is no panacea or universal solution to prevent nonadherence at present. In a digitally advanced society, digital health interventions have rapidly become a major area of innovation, particularly given their potential to increase medication adherence. Digital therapeutics (DTx) are rapidly expanding disruptive technology innovations which include technology, data and digital applications that inform medical practice and improve health through various platforms and systems that apply technological solutions to enhance healthcare delivery. This paper addresses the potential, challenges and risks faced by several specific DTx interventions that can drive significant improvements in both patient health outcomes and decreased healthcare system costs.

Key words: healthcare, digital health, digital therapeutics, digital pills, digital applications, adherence and persistence 

JEL codes: I