NICE technology evaluations and pharmacy

• Sleepio: NICE made a strong recommendation in relation to the Sleepio app saying it was recommended as “a cost-saving option for treating insomnia and insomnia symptoms in primary care for people who would otherwise be offered sleep hygiene or sleeping pills”. Sleepio is a digital self-help programme that includes CBT‑I (cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia). The cost is reported as £45 per person. Clinical evidence shows that Sleepio reduces insomnia symptoms compared with sleep hygiene and sleeping pills.
• myCOPD: This is an app to help people with COPD gain a better understanding of their condition and manage their symptoms. Clinical trial evidence is currently limited but suggests that use of the app may improve COPD symptoms, walking distance and inhaler technique compared with standard care. The trials also suggest that pulmonary rehabilitation using myCOPD may work as well as conventional face-to-face sessions. NICE concluded that the app “could provide significant patient and healthcare system benefits if uncertainties in the evidence are addressed”.
• YOURmeds: A NICE Medtech innovation briefing for the YOURmeds system for medication support was published in 2022. YOURmeds is a digital medication dosage system that allows real-time monitoring of medicines-taking using a mobile phone. The technology includes a monitored dosage system (MDS) with smart tabs, a smartphone app and web-based monitoring portal that allows healthcare professionals to monitor whether/when the patient is taking their medication.

The MDS system is filled by a community pharmacist and delivered to the patient each week. The briefing summarises evidence from three small case studies involving 69 patients and concludes that YOURmeds increases adherence – and costs less – than standard care.