WORCESTER, Mass., May 1, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- MindSciences, the leader in evidence-based habit change programs, has been given the 2019 Health Value Award for Behavioral Health Management for its line of DrJud apps. The Health Value Awards recognizes health care vendors, brokers and purchasers who consistently deliver high value that can be replicated throughout the continuum of clinical and financial risk management. Validated categories are evaluated by the Validation Institute, an independent certifier for performance and methodologies and score market viability, impact and innovation. For more information on the apps, see: drjud.com.

The apps are based on the work of Jud Brewer, MD, PhD, the well-known addiction psychiatrist and neuroscientist.  Mark Mitchnick, MD, the company's CEO commented that "We are really pleased to have received this independent validation of our work.  Every day we receive comments from users who have benefited from the apps.  All three DrJud apps, Unwinding Anxiety^® for anxiety/stress reduction, Eat Right Now^® for controlling overeating, and To Quit^® for smoking cessation have been clinically proven effective."

RD Whitney, CEO of Validation Institute and the Master of Ceremonies for the event said, "On behalf of Validation Institute and our 2019 Health Value Awards judges, it's fair to say we were overwhelmed by the number of applications we received for this year's award program making for a very competitive environment in which Mindsciences' apps stood out.  At Validation Institute, we celebrate all companies who have made it their mission to provide better health outcomes at lower cost."

A recent study in Nature Digital medicine found that only 14% of apps in app stores described design or development involving lived experience and only one cited published literature in support of the app. Dr. Mitchnick noted that "At DrJud we are committed to providing the most effective products we can. The DrJud apps are built on over a decade of research, $11 million in funding, 70+ publications and the experiences of thousands of users both in clinical trials and real-world use. Although there are a good number of programs out there, we are seeing increasing uptake of the DrJud apps not only by individual consumers but also employers and providers and we believe this is because the increasing appreciation for the scientific basis and quality of our products."

About DrJud, a MindSciences brand:
DrJud helps individuals break habit loops and change behavior through evidence-based digital therapeutics for overeating, anxiety and smoking cessation. Developed by Dr. Jud Brewer, the company offers a suite of three digital therapeutics apps that use mindfulness learning techniques to manage addictions, cravings and behavior. See drjud.com for more information.

About Dr. Jud Brewer:
Dr. Jud Brewer, the lead scientist at Dr.Jud, is a recognized expert in mindfulness who has appeared on 60 Minutes, given one of the most-viewed TED Talks of 2016, and has been interviewed for pieces in the Chicago Tribune, the Washington Post and The New York Times. A neuroscientist and psychiatrist, he has used more than 20 years of clinical trials to create three smartphone apps that hack into the brain's habit loop through mindfulness techniques to encourage behavior change. He is currently the Director of Research and Innovation at the Mindfulness Center at the School of Medicine at Brown University and the Founder of the DrJud brand (formerly MindSciences). 

About Validation Institute
Validation Institute is an independent, objective, 3^rd party organization on a mission to improve the quality and cost of healthcare. Based in Portsmouth, N.H., the organization is made up of a network of health benefits purchasers, health benefits advisors, and healthcare solution providers focused on delivering better health value and stronger outcomes than conventional healthcare.  

For more information contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Mindsciences