Should Medical Apps Be Regulated?

maximus1 writes "There's a tidal wave of medical-related apps coming to smartphones and tablets that will be used by doctors and patients alike. But how should the medical establishment deal with them? Neurologist Steven Levine, currently working on an app for stroke victims, thinks they should be treated like new medicines: developed using scientific peer review and subject to regulation by the government or professional associations. Obstetrician Kurian Thott, developer of an app called iRounds that helps communication between doctors, thinks they should be released quickly and the market should decide which take off. What do you think?"

Comments

We no longer regulate ads and mail order products.

[Kenja]

So why regulate apps? You can more or less claim your snake oil does anything you want, so long as you hide a disclaimer some place that your claims have not been confirmed by the FDA. If we're going to regulate medical self help and remedies then it should be all inclusive, not limited to apps.