FDA Clears App to Help Retain Patients in Treatment for OUD

Experts in addiction and in digital technology say the app for opioid use disorder is an exciting development, but it remains to be seen if the technology will be widely used.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2018 cleared for marketing a prescription smartphone application to help individuals being treated for opioid use disorder (OUD) stay in treatment and maintain their motivation to recover.
“The challenge will be to encourage providers and patients to incorporate this new technology into their treatment,” said John Renner, M.D., co-chair of the APA Council on Addiction Psychiatry.

Modeled on an app cleared by the FDA in 2017 for patients with alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, and stimulant substance use disorders, reSET-O is specifically tailored for patients with OUD. The reSET-O app is intended for use in combination with outpatient psychosocial treatment that also includes treatment with buprenorphine. The app is downloaded directly to a patient’s smartphone after the patient receives a prescription to do so from his or her physician.

Published Online:

Author:  Mark Moran

Read more

FDA Clears App to Help Retain Patients in Treatment for OUD was last modified: August 26th, 2019 by Heidi Rubens Cooper