BRIDGE POLICY THINK TANK
Public Policy Advisory & Research, Advocacy, Capacity Building and Impact Assessment
Reports:
Digital Health & Digital Therapeutics in Policy Pathways of the EU and India
Digital automation, artificial intelligence, and big data are transforming healthcare worldwide. As digital health solutions gain traction, the European Union and India present complementary strengths for cooperation and trade. The EU’s experience in universal healthcare and policy coherence aligns well with India’s dynamic private sector and skilled healthcare workforce.
This joint report by Bridge Policy Think Tank and the European research team from the University of Milan examines policy frameworks, regulatory definitions, and opportunities for collaboration in digital health and digital therapeutics. It highlights how harmonised definitions and mutual recognition of approvals can accelerate product registration and trade.
Case Study: Barriers to Digital Therapeutics for Elderly Care
Delhi NCR is the capital of India, with a historically low death rate and high life expectancy as compared to the rest of India. The hospital beds available per 1000 persons in Delhi NCR is approximately 3 times the national average. Yet, the estimated doubling of the elderly population in the region necessitates the evaluation of digital therapeutics (DTx) as an effective intervention in care pathways to reduce the dependence of the elderly on hospital-based facilities and reducing the severity of healthcare incidents.
There is clear evidence that DTx interventions improve clinical outcomes. However, the bottom-up approach to DTx adoption has resulted in slow and stymied DTx adoption that is not proportionate to the population growth. Hence, there is a need to examine the barriers to DTx adoption and suggest solutions to improve adoption rates. In order to increase acceptance rates, this study looks at the obstacles to using DTx for senior care in Delhi NCR, India, and suggests workable alternatives.
