Drugmakers are gradually breaking into the popular health app space, with big pharmaceutical company, Pfizer, launching its mood tracking app for people with depression. While the app is linked to Pfizer’s depression medication, Pristiq, it is not a medication adherence tool like Eli Lilly’s Trulicity app.
Pfizer’s app – known as Moodivator – helps patients track their daily moods, and share goals with their healthcare provider to help them make progress in their treatment. According to app analytics platform Sensor Tower, the Moodivator app has been downloaded less than 5,000 times since its launch in September.
“Moodivator is designed to motivate patients and help complement their treatment by allowing patients to track their mood, set goals, and establish routines that can help support them in their daily life,” said Julie Ferguson, senior manager of communications for Pfizer. “This is important because even seemingly small tasks can feel difficult for people with depression. Patients receive encouraging inspirational messages in the app to help motivate them along the way.”
While the app does contain information about Pfizer’s Pristiq, patients do not need to be prescribed the depression drug in order to use the app. According to Ferguson, the app is helpful for patients who are unable to attend in-person therapy sessions but need a way to manage and keep track of the progress of their depression.
“Advances in technology are now offering patients new tools to help them as they manage their depression,” said Ferguson. “We developed the Moodivator app in consultation with psychiatrists to help complement a patient’s treatment by providing ongoing motivation in a simple, efficient, and portable way for those living with depression.”
Pfizer also offers patient support to users of Pristiq through a program known as the Wind Up. This is a service which sends motivational messages as well as prescription refill reminders to patients via email, regular mail and text messages.
Join or login to leave a comment
JOIN LOGIN