New Video Game EndeavorRX Gets FDA Approval As Medicine To Treat ADHD

Video games have always been frowned upon by parents and guardians. But now, the tables are turning as this new video game will be used as medicine for children battling attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This video game is now the first one to be prescribed as medicine, approved by the FDA.

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Video Game For ADHD

ADHD is one of the most common mental disorders in children and adolescents with symptoms of short attention span, hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and so on. The new video game EndeavorRX has come as a medicine for children with ADHD. Developed by Akili Interactive, EndeavorRX is a video game that can now be legally prescribed as a medicine.

The game can be played on iPhone and iPad and is developed for children between the age of 8 and 12. For children living with ADHD, improving their ability to focus and resist distraction is critical for their performance in school and other functionalities.

This is where EndeavorRX comes in. The video game is designed to specifically target inattention. EndeavorRx is built on the Akili Selective Stimulus Management engine (SSME) core technology, a proprietary technology designed for the targeted activation of specific neural systems in the brain to treat diseases with associated cognitive dysfunction.

EndeavorRX Wins FDA Approval

EndeavorRX has undergone nearly seven years of clinical trials including 600 children for the FDA approval. The trials weren't easy, reports Business Wire, as they had to figure out if the game could actually make a difference to the children diagnosed with ADHD.

The answer to this is yes: one-third of kids treated "no longer had a measurable attention deficit on at least one measure of objective attention" after playing the obstacle-dodging, target-collecting game for 25 minutes a day, five days a week for four weeks.

The EndeavorRx treatment will be available with a prescription to families soon and can be downloaded via the App Store on the iPhone or iPad. Other additional gaming equipment like a console isn't required. The report notes Akili believes that cognitive impairments require the same constant attention and care as with any other chronic condition.