Healthapps (Gesundheits-Apps) in Germany: A Growing Market with Regulatory Specifics

Health Apps have become a relevant part of the healthcare system in Germany. They offer functions for prevention, health promotion and therapy support. The German market is characterized by a special regulatory environment that distinguishes apps with proven medical benefits from general wellness applications.

App Types and Regulatory Classification

Health Apps can be classified into different categories. Apps for general health promotion and prevention aim to improve lifestyle (e.g. nutrition, exercise) and include features such as pedometers or meditation trainers.
Medical apps, on the other hand, have proven benefits for specific conditions. For example, they can support the treatment of diabetes or chronic pain. Since October 2020, statutory health insurance beneficiaries in Germany can obtain such apps on prescription, provided they have undergone the testing procedure of the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) and have been included in the Directory of Digital Health Applications (DiGA). These apps are considered medical devices and require CE marking.

Advantages and Challenges

Health Apps offer numerous advantages for patients and the healthcare system. They can increase self-monitoring and treatment motivation, improve communication between doctor and patient, and optimize medical care through more efficient data collection.
However, there are also challenges. Data security and privacy must be guaranteed when using health apps. In addition, the quality of the apps is heterogeneous, and dubious offers can have negative health consequences in the worst case. Users should therefore pay attention to the seriousness of the provider and any existing test certificates.

Outlook

The market for health apps in Germany is continuing to grow. The integration of DiGAs into routine care is a pioneering development. In the future, it is to be expected that both the number of available DiGAs and their range of functions will continue to develop.