IEEE Spectrum: Video Game Approved as Prescription Medicine

Video Game Approved as Prescription Medicine
By Mark Anderson. 31 Jul 2020 | 15:00 GMT

U.S. Drug safety agency says EndeavorRx has proven therapeutic effect


On 15 June, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced its approval of a first-person racing game called EndeavorRx. Boston-based Akili Interactive Labs, maker of the game, says its racer was originally licensed from the lab of Adam Gazzaley, a neuroscientist at the University of California, San Francisco. The company touts four peer-reviewed studies (in PLOS One, The Lancet Digital Health, The Journal of Autism, and Developmental Disorders) as well as one paper in process as support for its claims that EndeavorRx significantly improves clinical markers of attention in patients with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).

“EndeavorRx looks and feels like a traditional game, but it’s very different,” says Matt Omernick, Akili cofounder and the company’s chief creative officer. “EndeavorRx uses a video-game experience to present specific sensory stimuli and simultaneous motor challenges designed to target and activate the prefrontal cortex of the brain.... As a child progresses in game play, the technology is continuously measuring their performance and using adaptive algorithms to adjust the difficulty and personalize the treatment experience for each individual.”

But is it a fun game? And can you get it without a prescription?

I'm reminded of the early days of Sesame Street. The show was originally invented for the purpose of providing remedial education for those students that couldn't keep up in school. An unexpected bonus was that it also improved the education of students that were not having problems in school.

I wonder if this could end up being similar. While designed to help people with ADHD, I wonder if it could improve various mental/cognitive skills in people without ADHD. And if it's a fun game, then there's really no downside.