Smart Pills may Allow Doctors to Track Patient Compliance

Doctors can soon have a better way to keep track of their patients’ recovery with new “smart pills” about to go on sale in UK that will allow doctors to see whether their patients are taking medicines at the right time and in correct quantity. Patients will be able to take a new pill, embedded with a microchip, along with their regular medications. The pill, known as Helius tablet, will be accompanied with a patch that can be worn on the shoulder. This patch will record the information sent by the pill and then redirect it to a computer which can then be accessed both by the patient and the doctor.

Apart from checking whether the patient has taken medication properly and at the right time, the patch will also remind the wearer when the next dose is due, check heart rate and body temperature and also record whether the patient is sleeping well or exercising enough.

The pill is expected to cost the NHS an additional £400 million a year and will be brought to the British shores by high street chain Lloyds-pharmacy who have signed a deal with American digital healthcare provider Proteus Biomedical. The pill is expected to cost £50 a month for the patients if brought privately.

Source-Medindia