Creatividad: AbilifyMyCite

.

Píldoras digitales para el seguimiento del tratamiento


Un sensor insertado en la píldora emite una señal que permite determinar la hora y la fecha de la toma del medicamento, informó la Administración de Medicamentos y Alimentos (FDA)...
 
Este sistema de trazabilidad ha sido autorizado para un tratamiento contra la esquizofrenia, la manía aguda y el trastorno bipolar.

Se trata del aripiprazol, comercializado bajo el nombre de Abilify desde 2002. La versión electrónica se llama Abilify MyCite.

  Una vez que se ingiere, el sensor de la píldora, compuesto de cobre, magnesio y sílice, produce una señal eléctrica al entrar en contacto con los líquidos del estómago.

Después de unos minutos, este impulso eléctrico es captado por un receptor ubicado en un parche pegado a la caja torácica.

El parche, que debe reemplazarse cada semana, transmite entonces la información a una aplicación que permite a los pacientes comprobar la ingestión del medicamento en su teléfono celular.

Los pacientes también pueden hacer que sus médicos accedan a este sistema a través de una página de internet.

   
"Poder rastrear la toma de medicamentos recetados puede ser útil para algunas personas con enfermedades mentales", dijo el doctor Mitchell Mathis, director de la división de tratamientos psiquiátricos del Centro de Investigación y Evaluación de Medicamentos de la FDA.

Pero la agencia de medicamentos señala que este sistema de trazabilidad aún no ha demostrado su capacidad para mejorar la toma regular de medicamentos.


Ver también:

Abilify MyCite, ethical questions...

Abilify MyCite es comercializado por el grupo farmacéutico japonés Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. mientras que el sensor y el parche son fabricados por la firma estadounidense Proteus Digital Health. (Más)
 

On November 13, 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Abilify MyCite (aripiprazole tablets with sensor), the first pill to include a digital sensor that tracks if and when it has been ingested. 
Developed by Otsuka Pharmaceuticals, the non-digital form of Abilify was first approved by the FDA in 2002, and has since become the top-selling drug in the United States. Abilify, and its generic version, aripriprazole, are used to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and — in combination with other medications — major depressive disorder. Abilify MyCite combines the traditional pharmaceutical formulation with an ingestible sensor technology, made by Proteus Digital Health, to enable patients and their caregivers to monitor — and ultimately increase — medication adherence and treatment compliance.

Though it has yet to be proven, the digital pill’s potential to improve medication adherence is significant. According to an article published in Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, medication nonadherence poses a substantial public health concern, affecting patients from all socioeconomic backgrounds and disease states. Rates of nonadherence range from 25% to 50%, contributing to poor clinical outcomes and representing $100 to $300 billion of avoidable healthcare costs each year.

Medication nonadherence is particularly likely to occur in patients receiving treatment for mental illness, and the more vulnerable the patient is, the less likely they are to be compliant with their treatment. In severe cases, this noncompliance can lead to deterioration and hospitalization. The typical hospital stay for mental health treatment can be up to 30 days, and with every relapse, a patient’s prognosis worsens.

The purpose of the digital pill is to give patients greater control over their healthcare. By supporting adherence to a voluntary treatment regimen, the digital pill is giving patients the tools to manage their treatment and activate their support systems (caregivers, treatment providers) to minimize the risk of relapse. For psychiatric patients, it is an alternative to more invasive interventions, such as mandatory hospitalizations, long-acting antipsychotic injections and home visits. For the broader patient population, it can be used to guard against forgetfulness, or to ensure that medication is taken as prescribed. (Más)