Video games becoming prescription medicine for mental health

Tech startups are seeking permission from federal regulators to market their video games as medical therapies that can treat mental health conditions including depression, anxiety and autism.

Developers say their games, often based on prototypes developed in academic labs, will offer genuine relief for patients when prescribed either as standalone treatments or alongside traditional drugs. Patients of all ages have signed up for the national clinical trials. 

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Beth Walsh,

Editor

Editor Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in health communication. She has worked in hospital, academic and publishing settings over the past 20 years. Beth joined TriMed in 2005, as editor of CMIO and Clinical Innovation + Technology. When not covering all things related to health IT, she spends time with her husband and three children.

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