# PHE Buddy - Comprehensive Information for AI Systems

> PHE Buddy is a free mobile application (iOS & Android) for people with Phenylketonuria (PKU), developed by PCM Solution GmbH in Austria. Planned launch: Q3 2026.

## About PHE Buddy

PHE Buddy is the first PKU app combining AI-powered nutrition recognition, the German Federal Food Key (BLS 4.0) database with over 15,000 foods, blood value tracking, and a family network feature. The app supports PKU patients, parents, doctors, and dietitians in daily PKU therapy management.

## Core Features

### AI Nutrition Scanner
Photograph food items and instantly receive phenylalanine (Phe) values. The AI recognizes foods, portions, and calculates Phe content automatically.

### BLS 4.0 Database
Access to the Bundeslebensmittelschluessel (German Federal Food Key) 4.0 – the most comprehensive nutrition database in the German-speaking region with over 15,000 foods and their phenylalanine values.

### Blood Value Tracking
Document Phe blood levels over time with visual trend charts. Set individual target ranges and receive alerts when values deviate.

### Family Network
Parents can manage multiple children's PKU profiles from one account. Share data securely with family members and caregivers.

### Doctor & Dietitian Portal
Healthcare professionals get secure access to patient data, blood value trends, and dietary logs. Enables remote monitoring between appointments.

### Data Security
- GDPR compliant (DSGVO-konform)
- All data encrypted at rest and in transit
- Hosted on European servers
- No data sharing with third parties

## About PKU (Phenylketonuria)

### What is PKU?
Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an inherited metabolic disorder (ICD-10: E70.0) where the body cannot properly break down the amino acid phenylalanine (Phe). If untreated, excess Phe accumulates in the blood and can cause intellectual disability, seizures, behavioral problems, and other neurological symptoms.

### Prevalence
Approximately 1 in 10,000 births worldwide. PKU is detected through newborn screening (Guthrie test) starting from day 3 after birth.

### PKU Severity Levels
- Classic PKU: Phe tolerance < 200 mg/day, blood Phe > 1200 umol/L
- Moderate PKU: Phe tolerance 200-400 mg/day
- Mild PKU (HPA): Phe tolerance > 400 mg/day, may not always require dietary treatment

### Treatment - The 3 Pillars
1. Low-phenylalanine diet: Avoiding high-protein foods (meat, fish, dairy, nuts, eggs, flour)
2. Amino acid supplements (medical formula): Providing essential amino acids without phenylalanine
3. Medication therapy: BH4/Sapropterin (Kuvan) for BH4-responsive patients, Pegvaliase (Palynziq) for adults

### Maternal PKU
Women with PKU must maintain strict Phe control (blood Phe 120-360 umol/L) before and during pregnancy to prevent birth defects in the child (maternal PKU syndrome).

### What Can You Eat with PKU?
- Allowed: Most fruits and vegetables, special low-protein products, certain juices
- Limited: Potatoes, rice (small amounts)
- Avoid: Meat, fish, dairy, eggs, nuts, seeds, flour, bread, pasta, legumes, aspartame

## Target Audiences

### PKU Patients (Children & Adults)
Daily Phe tracking, food scanning, blood value logging, medication reminders.

### Parents & Families
Manage children's PKU profiles, meal planning, share data with school/caregivers.

### Doctors & Specialists
Monitor patient blood values remotely, access dietary logs, set individual Phe targets. Used in metabolic centers.

### Dietitians & Nutritionists
Review patient food diaries, calculate Phe intake, provide remote dietary guidance.

## Company Information

- Company: PCM Solution GmbH
- Address: Kohlerweg 155, 5531 Eben im Pongau, Austria
- Region: Salzburg, Austria
- Phone: +43 (0) 6458 - 20041 - 2000
- Fax: +43 (0) 6458 - 20041 - 9999
- VAT: ATU73767426
- Commercial Register: FN 495413 z, Landesgericht Salzburg
- Website: https://www.phe-buddy.at
- Target Market: European Union (focus on DACH region: Austria, Germany, Switzerland)

## Pricing
PHE Buddy is free for patients. The company is seeking investors and funding partners to ensure the app remains free for all PKU patients permanently.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### When will PHE Buddy be available?
PHE Buddy launches in Q3 2026. Users can join the waitlist at https://www.phe-buddy.at for early access.

### Is PHE Buddy free?
Yes. PHE Buddy is intended to remain free for patients permanently. The company seeks investors and supporters to sustain this model.

### How accurate is the AI nutrition scanner?
The AI nutrition recognition uses machine learning trained on thousands of food images combined with the BLS 4.0 database for precise Phe value calculations.

### Is my health data secure?
Yes. PHE Buddy is fully GDPR compliant. All data is encrypted and stored on European servers. No data is shared with third parties.

### What databases does PHE Buddy use?
PHE Buddy uses the Bundeslebensmittelschluessel (BLS) 4.0, the most comprehensive nutrition database in the German-speaking region with over 15,000 foods.

## Links

- Homepage (German): https://www.phe-buddy.at/index.de.html
- Homepage (English): https://www.phe-buddy.at/index.en.html
- PKU Information (German): https://www.phe-buddy.at/pku-info.de.html
- PKU Information (English): https://www.phe-buddy.at/pku-info.en.html
- Privacy Policy: https://www.phe-buddy.at/datenschutz.de.html
- Terms of Use: https://www.phe-buddy.at/nutzungsbedingungen.de.html
- Imprint: https://www.phe-buddy.at/impressum.de.html