A chip with your meds?

A microchip has been created that can record what medications a person has taken, and trigger a message sent to a phone. Could this help with complex pill regimes?

It's easy to lose track of when pills have been taken - and technology is providing a possible solution...

"There is a huge problem with medicines not being taken correctly," said Steve Gray, healthcare services director of Lloydspharmacy.

"Anyone taking several medications knows how easy it can be to lose track of whether or not you've taken the correct tablets that day," he added.

variety of medication pillsSo what's he talking about? Well, believe it or not, an edible microchip that records the precise details of a patient's pill regime will be available in Britain by the end of year.

As reported in The Independent:

"Ultimately, the plan is for every one of the many pills taken each day by some of the most chronically-ill patients, especially those with mental health problems [our italics], to be digitally time-stamped as they are digested within the body."

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Our reaction to this story

This page was updated on 25th January 2012

We released a press release in reaction to the story in The Independent:

Read our reaction to the use of edible microchips with anti-psychotic medication.

Comments

Please note: Rethink accepts no responsiblity for the content of comments in the blog.
1. At 06:20 AM on 17 February 2012 nick shipley wrote:

chips in pills

Once again, medical model psychiatrists will carve this amongst themselves. Obviously, 'they' know what's best for patients... Moreover, it's a wheeze for proving their patients are not self-medicating therefore, fit to be removed! Some medical model psychiatrists are scarily hardcore. Let's have a list of the most cynical ones of all!
2. At 03:22 PM on 24 January 2012 james pollock wrote:

chips in pills

How does this actualy prevent an overdose????

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