The FDA Plays. Patients Pay.

Just last week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a prescription virtual reality treatment for patients with chronic lower back pain. EaseVRx allows people experiencing lower back pain to undergo behavioral therapy via a VR headset from the comfort of their home. We can already hear the choir of technology enthusiasts celebrating the news. While it may be refreshing to see such cutting-edge tech deployed on the medical front — usually, innovation in healthcare happens at an excruciatingly slow pace (hospitals still use fax machines!) — believe it or not, this approval is probably bad news for patients.