Digital self-help for eating disorders: early value assessment

  • HealthTech guidance
  • HTG768
  • Published: 
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2 Information about the technologies

2.1

This assessment included 3 technologies that can be used to offer NICE-recommended, evidence-based, eating-disorder-focused cognitive behavioural therapy based self-help in a digital format.

2.2

In eating disorder services, guided self-help programmes are currently the first treatments to offer or consider for:

  • all people with binge eating disorder type conditions

  • adults with bulimia nervosa type conditions.

    Guided self-help involves working through a self-help book or online programme about binge eating or bulimia nervosa, and having brief, usually virtual, supportive sessions intended to support adherence.

2.3

The 3 included technologies can be used with guidance but they are also designed to work as unguided self-help. This assessment is of their use as independent, unguided self-help therapies.

Table 1 Features of each technology
Technology (provider), regulatory status Intended age group Format License cost

Digital CBTe (Credo Therapies)

Class I UKCA mark

18 years and over

Smart phone app and online

£95.00 per person

Overcoming Bulimia Online (Five Areas Ltd)

The company has stated that the technology does not need medical device regulatory approval

16 years and over

Online

£19.34 per person (2 to 5 licences)

£13.44 per person (6 to 10 licences)

£10.75 per person (11 to 25 licences)

£9.14 per person (26 to 50 licences)

£7.79 per person (51 to 99 licences)

£6.72 per person (100 to 499 licences)

£5.91 per person (for 500 or more licenses, used in the health economic model)

Worth Warrior (stem4)

The company has stated that the technology does not need medical device regulatory approval

12 years and over (under 12 with adult guidance)

Smart phone app

£12,000 per year for a primary care network-level licence in year 1, plus £6,500 per year after that

Per-person costs (calculated based on the prevalence of bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder):

£18.99 for year 1 and then £10.28 per year for binge eating disorder

£71.43 for year 1 and then £38.69 per year for bulimia nervosa

Carbon Reduction Plans