Smart pill texts - time for your medicine
Volunteers are being recruited to take standard versions of their heart pill fitted with a microchip.

When swallowed, the chip send signals to a patch attached to the patient's shoulder.

The patch can also send a text if the patient forgets to take the medication.

The system, known as Raisin, also monitors heart activity and how well the patient is sleeping all of which may signal a deteriorating condition.

It costs a few cents per pill and was initially tested in the US, where it lifted patients' consistency in taking their medication from 30 per cent to 80 per cent.

If successful, the four-month test could lead to a year-long trial by Britain's health service.

Nicholas Peters, professor of cardiology at Imperial College Healthcare, said the main aim was to get heart patients to stick to taking their pills.

"It will encourage patients to take responsibility for their own health," he said.

With a stricter medication regimen, it is hoped their health will improve and they will be less likely to be admitted to hospital in an emergency.

The chips, developed by California-based company Proteus Biomedical, are tiny, digestible sensors made from food ingredients.

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/technology/smart-pill-texts-time-for-your-medicine/story-e6frfro0-1225905939359#ixzz0wkqCudDp
 


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