CaryHealth’s Areo Nazari Discusses Promise of Prescription Digital Therapeutics
CEO Areo Nazari was featured in Pharmacy Times discussing how prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs) are positioned to transform mental health treatment and address critical healthcare gaps through scalable, accessible alternatives to traditional medications.
In the comprehensive interview, Nazari outlined the multi-stakeholder benefits of PDTs entering mainstream healthcare. For patients, these digital interventions offer enjoyable, convenient alternatives to traditional medications that can be accessed on their own schedule. Healthcare providers gain new opportunities to expand their practices and monetize services, while also offering patients additional treatment options beyond conventional therapeutics.
Nazari addressed common payer concerns about PDTs representing additional costs, noting that substantial data demonstrates both direct and indirect reductions in medical expenditures. He emphasized that cognitive behavioral therapy and PDTs can prevent unnecessary emergency department visits and reduce overall healthcare spending in the long term.
The discussion highlighted CaryHealth's partnership with Otsuka Precision Health on Rejoyn, a PDT for treating major depressive disorder that works in conjunction with therapy. This collaboration demonstrates how PDTs can help alleviate strain on the healthcare system by broadening treatment access and enabling better patient monitoring.
Looking beyond current applications, Nazari identified significant potential for PDT development across chronic disease management, noting that many countries already use cognitive behavioral therapy as first-line treatment where the U.S. typically relies on medication. He emphasized PDTs' safety profile and effectiveness as alternatives that avoid the adverse effects commonly associated with traditional pharmaceuticals.
