A prescription video game treatment for ADHD

The FDA has approved a video game that can be prescribed to children with ADHD, and could potentially be combined with other treatments

Spotted: For the first time, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a video game that doctors in the US can prescribe as medicine to treat ADHD. Designed by prescription digital medicine company, Akili Interactive, EndeavorRX is available on iPhone and iPad for children between the ages of 8 and 12. The game involves players piloting a small aircraft through a variety of alien environments, and is specifically designed to improve the attention of youngsters.

EndeavorRX underwent seven years of clinical trials that involved five studies and over 600 children. The most significant finding of the 348 participants was that one in three of the children showed improvements in at least one objective measure of attention after playing EndeavorRX for 25 minutes a day, five days a week, for four weeks. The most common side effects were frustration and a headache; however, these were seemingly mild compared to some traditional drugs.

Although the study has shown that the game could help with the effects of ADHD, it does note that its findings are not yet sufficient enough to suggest that EndeavorRX should fully replace established ADHD treatments. The FDA has suggested that the game should be used as part of a larger therapeutic program that might also include help from healthcare professionals, medication and various educational programs.

The next step is for EndeavorRX to be officially launched; there is currently a waitlist on the Akii Interactive website.

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