Pills get smart

Potential encapsulated

Medicines that can talk to doctors herald a new direction for drugs firms

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Readers' comments




Patient compliance and medication adherence are some of the most intractable problems. Most pharmaceutical companies and large insurers have tried, unsuccessfully, to address medication reminders, tracking etc. Many of the technologies cited in the article are overly complicated and frought with big-brother issues.

Cell phones and smart phones may be a critical piece of the puzzle, since they are already in patients' pockets. However, sending messages to patients is regulated by the FDA and many healthcare companies are cautious or unable to send messages to patients.

The FDA held their first ever public hearings on the internet and social media (#FDASM, www.fdasm.com) as they decide how to regulate marketing in these new media. This presentation on medication adherence messages via mobile phones was considered one of the most engaging of the two days of testimony: http://www.slideshare.net/MedicalVentures/zen-chu-healthcare-innovation-...

Tang Nivri II

..what is remarkable about this story is just how unremarkable it really is, that we have already accepted the inevitable meshing of bodies, our minds, ourselves with our machines, marching head long into Goodness knows how many untold ethical quandries...all this with hardly a peep from the commoner....it's as if we watching a parade of ourselves while we stand on the sidelines..cheering ourselves onto victory!


The reason Obama came up with a health plan to begin with is because so many Americans cannot afford to pay for their medicine and health care. Americans pay much more for each pill than any other country's citizens. This on top of the fact that American tax payer pays for most of the research to get these pills.

America now has a 10% and growing unemployment rate and the Republican win in Mass shows that people are very worried about the job issue. The health plan will not be passed as planned by the Obama administration.

So, are the poor poor Americans going to be stuck with this additional unwanted cost as well?

If the pharmacological industries want to take the huge risk of funding these 'smart' pills, let them absorb the cost. Or let them spread the cost among all other world citizens.



Excellent, this technology has huge potential especially in infectious disease treatment where patient non-compliance can not only jeopardize their own health but the health of the public through the perpuation of drug resistant strains.


Oh Orwell, 1984? How quaint. Who would have guessed the cameras would one day be staged on the inside of the people being observed?


Interesting article and it ties nicely with Rohit Talwar's Top 20 most popular future jobs of 2030... particularly his 6. ‘New science’ ethicist: As scientific advances speed up in areas like cloning, we may need a new breed of ethicist who understands the science and helps society make choices about what developments to allow. It won’t be a question of can we, but should we? For list of 20 Top jobs -go to provided link below. Disclosure: I'm not tied at all to his research but thought it advances the discussion. Nicole (twitter/RebmannResearch)


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