How many times have you forgotten to take your medications? Forgetting to take your medications may not be something you will have to worry about in the future. Scientist have been developing a microchip that is implanted into your body that will give you your prescribed medication at the proper time, and administer the proper dose. The idea is that your doctor would be able to program the microchip to deliver the proper doses at the proper times. If your doctor wanted to stop the medication, they would be able to do that through the microchip. The microchip would be implanted under your skin under local anesthesia, and can be done as an outpatient procedure.
MicroChips, Inc., is the developer of this new implantable drug delivery device. Components of the original microchip technology was were developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A study was conducted in 2012 with eight women who had osteoporosis. These women were implanted with the microchip to deliver their medication over a four month period, instead of the usual injection. The result of the study showed that the implant was safe and effective. According to the article on CNN.com, MicroChip, Inc. is planning to release its first implantable drug delivery device in 2017. The first device that will be released is expected to last about five years, being implanted and releasing medication through the microchip. In the future, Microchip Inc., thinks they can produce a device that can last up to sixteen years.
This kind of device could be a lifesaver for those people who suffer from illnesses such as osteoporosis, cancer, multiple sclerosis and many other chronic diseases requiring regular or daily injections of daily medications or pain medications. This new microchip is still in the developmental stage, but it could be the answer to many people suffering from illnesses that require injections everyday. For those people, it could be life changing.
Sources:
http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2014/04/health/the-cnn-10-healing-the-future/?frame=1&hpt=hp_c2
http://www.mchips.com/news/releases/021612.html
http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2012/wireless-drug-delivery-0216
MicroChips, Inc., is the developer of this new implantable drug delivery device. Components of the original microchip technology was were developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A study was conducted in 2012 with eight women who had osteoporosis. These women were implanted with the microchip to deliver their medication over a four month period, instead of the usual injection. The result of the study showed that the implant was safe and effective. According to the article on CNN.com, MicroChip, Inc. is planning to release its first implantable drug delivery device in 2017. The first device that will be released is expected to last about five years, being implanted and releasing medication through the microchip. In the future, Microchip Inc., thinks they can produce a device that can last up to sixteen years.
This kind of device could be a lifesaver for those people who suffer from illnesses such as osteoporosis, cancer, multiple sclerosis and many other chronic diseases requiring regular or daily injections of daily medications or pain medications. This new microchip is still in the developmental stage, but it could be the answer to many people suffering from illnesses that require injections everyday. For those people, it could be life changing.
Sources:
http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2014/04/health/the-cnn-10-healing-the-future/?frame=1&hpt=hp_c2
http://www.mchips.com/news/releases/021612.html
http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2012/wireless-drug-delivery-0216