TYLER (KYTX) - The FDA is worried about how to control the growing number of medical apps for smart phones and tablets.
There are so many now, that people are looking at the apps on their phones instead of calling their doctor.
Since there are no guidelines for these apps, health experts are concerned about their accuracy.
Stacey Woodard from Tyler uses about 6 of the nearly 40,000 health apps available for smart phones and tablets.
"I have Web MD, and then I have MedScape which is from WebMD, then I have an app called Lose It and that's for weight loss and fitness, and I have an app called Fitness Buddy which is for exercising and tracking your fitness," she says.
The number one reason people use the apps? Convenience.
"They're right on my phone," Woodard says. "I carry my phone everywhere."
A lot of people go to their phone first when they're having health problems.
"When I'm sick I do look up my symptoms and I have self diagnosed myself a few times," Woodard says. "It's just really handy!"
That causes the FDA quite a headache, because with the growing number of medical apps, it's becoming impossible to keep tabs on which ones are accurate.
The number one smart phone medical app right now is called Prescription Pill Identifier. All you do is type in the pill description and the app will tell you what it is and information about it. While this app is very helpful, it shouldn't replace your doctor or pharmacist. Mixing pills can be very dangerous.
Woodard had no idea the medical apps she uses every day, are not FDA approved..
"I actually did not know that at all," she says. "I figured they would be or have some type of regulation to oversee them in some sort of way, but that does really surprise me."
She says that news won't stop her from using the apps. It will just make her more cautious.
"I'll definitely have more concerns when I use them and check my symptoms and things like that but I'm still going to use them!"
The FDA expects to release final guidelines on mobile health apps this year.
The Northeast Texas Health District released a statement about the safety of using medical apps.
It says, "Preventative health and self management of chronic conditions is essential to taking control of your health. However, as with any information, the consumer must investigate the resource and seek credible medical information."
For more information on the topic, you can read the following article:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/story/2012-06-22/health-apps-regulation/55766260/1
