Schizophrenia Daily News Blog

Electronic Pill Box in Testing

Electronic Pill Box Helps People with Schizophrenia track Medications Use

We've just learned of a new product that is in development that sounds like it could be of value to people who have schizophrenia.

The Med-eMonitor electronic pill box reminds patients when to take medicine and alerts doctors if a patient stops taking medication.

   The device sends this information to a secure Web server, where practitioners monitoring a patient's care can see the information and intervene quickly if the patient stops taking medicine or reports ill-effects. The Web server also updates the device with new alerts, like upcoming doctor visits or changes in dosages.

   Dawn Velligan directs the division of schizophrenia-related disorders at the University of Texas Health Science Center and is testing the device in a small clinical trial of schizophrenia patients. She receives consulting fees from Informedix.

   Preliminary results from the trial are both striking and statistically significant. Before the study, said Velligan, patients were taking medications as directed only about 50 percent of the time. With Med-eMonitor, adherence rose to 94 percent. Patients could also lead more independent lives. One patient who needed her parents' help to take pills was able to do so on her own using this device.

MORE INFORMATION:
Full Article on Electronic Pill Box

Company Developing Pill Box: Informedix, Inc.