A study by Medisafe and IMS Health showed an upward trend in medication adherence among people with chronic conditions like hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes who used its mobile medication reminder, according to a company statement.
Nearly 700 people participated in the study. High blood pressure patients represented the largest group with more than 400 participants. Adherence increased 5 percent over a six month period for this group. Participants with cholesterol or hyperlipidemia had the biggest increase in adherence — more than 10 percent. Although diabetic participants were only evaluated for three months, this group saw a 7.7 percent increase in adherence.
The study follows another that Medisafe did last month for people with hypertension. It found that a segment of its Stage 1 and 2 hypertension users who used a connected blood pressure cuff – decreased their systolic blood pressure by an average of 19.3 mmHg. That test followed a partnership deal between Medisafe and Human API to help people see the impact their medications have on things like weight, blood pressure, and lab results.
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
Companies such as Medisafe, AdhereTech and other businesses in this subsector of digital health are trying different tactics to boost adherence so they reduce the costs associated with complications from chronic conditions when people don’t take their medication properly, including hospitalization.
Although the myriad reasons why people don’t consistently take their medication lends itself to having several different companies approach the problem from different ways, digital health tools aren’t a panacea either. Companies continue to struggle with the challenge of how to keep their customer base interested in the long term.
