6 ms·

First Digital Pill Approved to Worries About Biomedical ‘Big Brother’

24 points by runesoerensen 9y ago

thisisit 9y ago
It does seem strange to have a schizophrenia medicine as the starting point. Is there a biomedical reason which makes the drug to be digitized well? > Dr. McQuade said, “We don’t have any data currently to say it will improve adherence,” but will likely study that after sales begin. Improving adherence is the whole point of a digital drug but they don't have any data?
- taurath 9y ago
  They aren’t making novel drugs anymore just novel delivery systems. They can charge 1000x the price per pill.
- aalleavitch 9y ago
  Prescriptions for schizophrenia medication have a very low compliance rate. Partly because schizophrenic patients are by nature prone to resisting their treatment (due to paranoia, delusions), and partly because antipsychotics are unpleasant to take pretty much all around (I don't know anyone who actively wants LESS dopamine).
mirimir 9y ago
This is just too much. No way. These people are crazier than the patients. I mean, ingestible RFID is a conspiracy theory trope.
- vpribish 9y ago
  and in the real world, medication compliance is a serious problem that leads to real life death and suffering. internet trolls and tinfoil hatters can fuck right off.
  - mirimir 9y ago
    The juxtaposition of "medication" and "compliance" is horrifying. Let me see. What comes to mind? Alan Turing. Soviet psychiatric diagnoses. Medication that's not voluntary is a human rights violation.
    - sgift 9y ago
      What else comes to mind: People who forget their medication and suffer for it.
      - nalaman 9y ago
        So there are factors causing suffering and people forget their medication that alleviates that suffering, but the first sane thought in your head should never be 'let's start chipping people and confirm the nightmare scenario of the patients we're supposed to be treating'
      - csmark 9y ago
        --- When it comes to many antipsychotic medications patients suffer from the side effects of taking their medications. --- So I'm a little curious why an article on monitoring compliance digitally only talks to patients who are very very unlikely to be noncompliant. Then there's this misstatement: "Many patients with these conditions do not take medication regularly, often with severe consequences." These people take this medication daily. They may miss a day or two and not notice. Longer periods, they would notice the slow return of phobias or irrational thoughts and realize they had been missing their medication and start taking it again. For those admitted to the hospital or having a history of severe mental illnesses: People wonder why anyone would stop taking the medications and relapse. I have no proof but think the treatment can be worse than the disease. Schizophrenia: a serious mental illness that interferes with a person's ability to think clearly, manage emotions, make decisions and relate to others. Now look at the list of side effects of Abilify: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMHT0009101/?report=details#side_effects https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMHT0009101/?repor... These patients are on a cocktail of medications each having a list of potential side effects. For all areas of health care 20-30% of prescriptions are never filled and half of all medications are not taken as prescribed. https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/09/the-289-billion-cost-of-medication-noncompliance-and-what-to-do-about-it/262222/ https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/09/the-289-b... Factors involved in the high rate of noncompliance in psychiatric patients: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3799245/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3799245/
RickS 9y ago
> After several minutes, the signal is detected by a Band-Aid-like patch that must be worn on the left rib cage and replaced after seven days And who watches the watcher?
EGreg 9y ago
I can see this being used in psychiatric hospitals when patients pretend to swallow.
dmichulke 9y ago
> First Digital Pill Approved to Worries About Biomedical ‘Big Brother’ Is it just me or does this headline not parse?
- dvddgld 9y ago
  Definitely not just you, it’s an awkward phrase with an awkward cadence

24 points by runesoerensen 9y ago

It does seem strange to have a schizophrenia medicine as the starting point. Is there a biomedical reason which makes the drug to be digitized well? > Dr. McQuade said, “We don’t have any data currently to say it will improve adherence,” but will likely study that after sales begin. Improving adherence is the whole point of a digital drug but they don't have any data?

taurath 9y ago
They aren’t making novel drugs anymore just novel delivery systems. They can charge 1000x the price per pill.
aalleavitch 9y ago
Prescriptions for schizophrenia medication have a very low compliance rate. Partly because schizophrenic patients are by nature prone to resisting their treatment (due to paranoia, delusions), and partly because antipsychotics are unpleasant to take pretty much all around (I don't know anyone who actively wants LESS dopamine).

mirimir 9y ago

This is just too much. No way. These people are crazier than the patients. I mean, ingestible RFID is a conspiracy theory trope.

vpribish 9y ago
and in the real world, medication compliance is a serious problem that leads to real life death and suffering. internet trolls and tinfoil hatters can fuck right off.
- mirimir 9y ago
  The juxtaposition of "medication" and "compliance" is horrifying. Let me see. What comes to mind? Alan Turing. Soviet psychiatric diagnoses. Medication that's not voluntary is a human rights violation.
  - sgift 9y ago
    What else comes to mind: People who forget their medication and suffer for it.
    - nalaman 9y ago
      So there are factors causing suffering and people forget their medication that alleviates that suffering, but the first sane thought in your head should never be 'let's start chipping people and confirm the nightmare scenario of the patients we're supposed to be treating'
    - csmark 9y ago
      --- When it comes to many antipsychotic medications patients suffer from the side effects of taking their medications. --- So I'm a little curious why an article on monitoring compliance digitally only talks to patients who are very very unlikely to be noncompliant. Then there's this misstatement: "Many patients with these conditions do not take medication regularly, often with severe consequences." These people take this medication daily. They may miss a day or two and not notice. Longer periods, they would notice the slow return of phobias or irrational thoughts and realize they had been missing their medication and start taking it again. For those admitted to the hospital or having a history of severe mental illnesses: People wonder why anyone would stop taking the medications and relapse. I have no proof but think the treatment can be worse than the disease. Schizophrenia: a serious mental illness that interferes with a person's ability to think clearly, manage emotions, make decisions and relate to others. Now look at the list of side effects of Abilify: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMHT0009101/?report=details#side_effects https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMHT0009101/?repor... These patients are on a cocktail of medications each having a list of potential side effects. For all areas of health care 20-30% of prescriptions are never filled and half of all medications are not taken as prescribed. https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/09/the-289-billion-cost-of-medication-noncompliance-and-what-to-do-about-it/262222/ https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/09/the-289-b... Factors involved in the high rate of noncompliance in psychiatric patients: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3799245/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3799245/

RickS 9y ago

> After several minutes, the signal is detected by a Band-Aid-like patch that must be worn on the left rib cage and replaced after seven days And who watches the watcher?

EGreg 9y ago

I can see this being used in psychiatric hospitals when patients pretend to swallow.

dmichulke 9y ago

> First Digital Pill Approved to Worries About Biomedical ‘Big Brother’ Is it just me or does this headline not parse?

dvddgld 9y ago
Definitely not just you, it’s an awkward phrase with an awkward cadence