Ensuring the safety, effectiveness, and ethics of digital mental health solutions: a regulatory imperative
Posted: 9 March, 2023 Filed under: Abasiodiong Ubong Udoakpan | Tags: data protection, development, digital health interventions, digital mental health solutions, equitable access, Evidence-based regulation, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), health disparities, mental health, privacy, regulatory frameworks, resource constraints, Risk-based regulation, User-centered regulation, WHO framework, World Health Organization (WHO) Leave a comment
Author: Abasiodiong Ubong Udoakpan
Data Protection Advisor, Researcher and a Human Rights Lawyer
Introduction
As the use of digital mental health solutions continues to grow, there is an urgent need for regulatory frameworks to ensure their safety, effectiveness, and ethical use. The regulatory landscape for digital mental health solutions is complex and evolving. At the global level, the World Health Organization (WHO) has developed a framework for digital health that includes guidance on the development, evaluation, and regulation of digital health interventions. The WHO framework emphasizes the need for evidence-based interventions that are safe, effective, and ethical, and that are responsive to the needs of different populations. The framework also highlights the importance of data protection and privacy, as well as the need for equitable access to digital health solutions.[1]
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