Time to put a check on health apps: Experts

In view of the rising abundance of mobile health apps, a team of scientists have called for objective review and certification process of mobile heath Apps that are not regulated by the government.

The views were expressed in an article titled 'In Search of a Few Good Apps' published in the journal JAMA.

"This article gives health care providers, patients, policymakers and mobile health app developers a perspective on how the issue of determining which Apps are most useful might be addressed," said David Bates, chief quality officer at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH).

"Establishing an unbiased review and certification process is a key step in helping mHealth apps achieve their potential," Bates added.

The authors suggested that multiple organisations could be created to review and objectively certify mHealth apps for quality, accuracy, security and safety.

The process would help physicians to confidently prescribe the right health Apps, they said.