A PILL that can tell your doctor if you鈥檝e taken your medication or not has been approved for the first time.
The drug is an antipsychotic medicine for people with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Each pill contains an electronic sensor that is activated upon contact with stomach fluid, sending a message to a patch worn by the patient. This patch registers when the pill was taken on the person鈥檚 smartphone.
The digital pill, named Abilify MyCite, was approved this week by the US Food and Drug Administration. If a patient consents, the system can remotely inform others when they take the drug, enabling their family, carers or doctor to check if they are sticking to the regime.
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However, the FDA has warned that it isn鈥檛 yet known whether such a system will make patients more likely to take their medication. The agency has also said that family doctors must ensure patients fully consent to take the pill, wear the patch and use the associated phone app.
This article appeared in print under the headline 鈥淒igital drug鈥�
