What do you get when you add science, technology, and social media together? Some might think a really cool iPhone, or an app that allows self-diagnosis instead of a doctor. Although that would be pretty cool, earlier this week, Mashable reported the first-ever FDA-approved digestible digital pill.
This new pill comes equipped with a microchip roughly the same size as a particle of sand, which can be embedded in drugs to monitor patients’ response to various treatments and medical conditions. One of the digital pill’s most valuable attributions is the ability to track how well (or poorly) the drug is reacting to and ultimately working with the patient’s system through an embedded sensor that contains small amounts of magnesium and copper. Mashable describes, “When a patient swallows it, the pill generates slight voltage which responds to digestive juices. The voltage sends a signal to a patch worn by the patient, which transmits relevant information to a health care provider’s mobile device.”
As a life science company with a focus on pharma and biotech, we are constantly exploring new advancements in health care and bio. Social media has reached new levels since the rise of the Internet and social networks. However, very few have attempted to mix the two fields to create what could be a breakthrough in digital medicine. Yes, a digestible digital pill could potentially help medicine operate more effectively because results are coming back straight to the source, however, we won’t really know until we try…would you?
Tweet to us @TRA360 or comment below why you would or wouldn’t try the first-ever FDA-approved digestible pill!