Should Medical Apps Be Regulated?

maximus1 writes: There's a tidal wave of medical-related apps coming to smartphones and tablets that will be used by doctors and patients alike. But how should the medical establishment deal with them? Neurologist Steven Levine, currently working on an app for stroke victims, thinks they should be treated like new medicines: developed using scientific peer review and subject to regulation by the government or professional associations. Obstetrician Kurian Thott, developer of an app called iRounds that helps communication between doctors, thinks they should be released quickly and the market should decide which take off. What do you think?

What does the app do?

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If the app simply informs the doctor of possibilities, that's a textbook. As such, it should not be regulated, aside from having voluntary approvals from organizations like the AMA.

If on the other hand we are talking about an app that you use to diagnose a picture taken from a cell phone that has been modified to photograph blood, looking for abnormalities, or an app you download to a defibrillator, that's an entirely different situation and should be legally regulated by the FDA.