Pills that text people when they forget meds being tested in UK

Pills that will send a text to a mobile phone when people forget to take their medication is being tested in the UK. The pills contain a microchip that can signal a patch worn on skin.

NHS doctors are recruiting about 40 volunteers try out standard versions of their heart pills fitted with a microchip, reported The Daily Mail. When swallowed, the chips – which are made from food ingredients and activated by stomach fluids - will send signals to a patch on a person’s shoulder or a small device under the skin. This will then send a text if medication is not taken on time. It also monitors heart rate and activity, as well as sleep patterns. The system, which is called Raisin, was already tested in the US. It was reported that it increased consistency in taking medication from 30 to 80 percent. Professor Nicholas Peters, professor of cardiology at Imperial College Healthcare, was reported in The Daily Mail as saying: “The concept behind the technology is that the information belongs to the patient, who will be able to see the benefits of their medication in a number of measures. 'It will encourage patients to take responsibility for their own health. 'Heart failure is a condition where if the patient doesn't remain stable it can lead to a cascade of problems that result in emergency admissions into hospital. 'This is the kind of innovation that should help contain these costs. 'The hope is that after testing it can be appraised by the NHS and adopted for widespread use at an early stage.” The chips are developed by Proteus Biomedical, which is based in California, and cost only a few pence each. Raisin received the European Union's CE mark, certifying that it meets consumer and health requirements, this week. The four-month trial being run by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Imperial College London and the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading.