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Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the U.S. have created a capsule that sends a signal confirming a patient's successful intake of medication. The technology aims to address the problem of therapy non-adherence, which leads to hundreds of thousands of deaths annually.
The microscopic system with a chip, developed by the scientists, is embedded directly into a standard gelatin medication capsule. When a person swallows the pill, the microchip's coating dissolves, releasing the drug and activating an antenna. The antenna then transmits a signal to a device, notifying the doctor and patient of the successful medication intake.
The system has undergone successful animal testing, with results published in Nature Communications. The researchers plan to begin clinical trials with post-organ transplant patients, for whom missing a dose of immunosuppressants can quickly lead to rejection.
The authors also suggest the technology could aid patients after stent placement (for thrombosis prevention), those with tuberculosis and HIV infection, and individuals with neurodegenerative disorders (such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease) which affect medication regularity.
In the future, plans include integrating the system with wearable devices for the automatic transmission of data to a patient's medical team.
According to WHO, approximately 50% of patients with chronic diseases do not adhere to their prescribed treatment regimen. This is one of the main causes of therapy ineffectiveness and avoidable complications.
Researchers and companies are proposing various solutions to help patients take their therapy on time. Beyond digital pills, such as the one from MIT, these include "smart" caps for pill bottles, smart blister packs, and mobile applications for monitoring medication intake.
Source: Science Daily
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