2023-12-18 09:01:00
“More than 90% of doctors have no expertise in the field of drug allergies. »
Head of the Pneumology, Allergology and Thoracic Oncology department at Montpellier University Hospital, Professor Pascal Demoly does not mince his words. For several months, with his allergist colleague, Dr Anca Chiriac, he has been working on a mobile application intended to improve the health journey of patients who follow an allergy detection protocol.
“The Vigicard application responds to a public health issue, namely the lack of information and the misuse of potentially allergenic medications,” he justifies.
Reported drug allergies only concern 5 to 10% of the European population. What’s more, when allergy testing is done correctly, only 20% of reported allergies are confirmed.
“Drug allergies are clearly overdiagnosed, insists Pascal Demoly. In half of multi-resistant staphylococci, there is a suspicion of allergy to penicillin. This can be very penalizing for the patient labeled allergic to this medication for life, most of the time for nothing. Our goal is to prevent practitioners from having to prescribe second-line therapy, which is often much less effective and more toxic. The Vigicard application should make it possible to better identify but also better treat and manage drug allergies. »
Blockchain Tezos
The Vigicard project is developed with Codinsight, a young start-up from Hérault created in 2021 to support innovative project leaders in the structuring and technical development of their applications (web and mobile). From the start, the choice was made to exploit the Tezos blockchain which allows the application to record proof of allergy or immunity in the form of certificates.
“There are very few reliable solutions that track the complete history of allergies, explains Fabien Bucamp, co-founder of Codinsight. The Vigicard application allows the user to report a suspected allergy to health professionals who then check it. If the suspicion is confirmed, the patient will be referred to an allergist. The Tezos blockchain was selected for its reliability, strong security and ability to self-amend thanks to the community that shapes it. »
The Vigicard project also benefited from financial support from the Tezos Foundation to the tune of 100,000 euros, and from its technical support via its subsidiary Nomadic Lab for whom Vigicard is the first project in human health.
“Vigicard is the starting point of a major revolution, both for research and medical monitoring of patients and from a technological point of view,” Cédric Roche, France Nomadic Labs manager, is convinced.
300,000 euros to launch the clinical phase
The beta version of the Vigicard application is active and the Montpellier University Hospital is now seeking to raise funds, 300,000 euros, to finance the clinical trial phase. They might start in the first half of 2024, with 400 patients and 200 healthcare professionals (already identified) for a minimum duration of nine months.
“One of our objectives, by 2026, is to have the application qualified as a medical device with CE marking, which would allow it to be reimbursed by social security and mutual insurance companies,” projects Codinsight co-founder.
Vigicard’s economic model is not yet stabilized but if all the lights turn green, the application might be deployed on a European scale. Exchanges are also underway with two university hospitals in Belgium and Spain. Subsequently, Vigicard might be extended to other types of allergies (food allergies for example) and health monitoring.
“Our ambition, ultimately, is for the application to be accepted as part of the Package of Services for Healthcare Professionals, so as to power the My Espace Santé platform for patients, concludes the professor from CHU Montpellier. This ease of access is perfectly consistent with the digital health roadmap. »
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