Kinkini Gupta
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Written By: Kinkini Gupta | Updated : June 21, 2022 1:21 PM IST
Electronic Pills To Replace Regular Pills
Remembering to take pills regularly is a task for everyone. It is estimated that almost 50 per cent people forget to take their medications on time thereby putting their health at risk. The reasons stated are forgetfulness and for some people it is just the inability to follow a schedule. How about having an electronic implant that can deliver the medicine doses at a click. This could be possible withing a year.
Swedish researchers are trying to develop such electronic implants that can deliver drugs to patients just by pressing a simple button. The research team from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden has invented a material which uses signals to release some molecules which will act as a replacement of pills and tablets. The material is called 'polymer surface'. It functions automatically and will provide doses of the specified drug at regular intervals. Patients will no longer need to set reminders to take a pill. This molecule can be used to make implants which will produce the doses of the medicine.
The polymer surfaces send electrical signals to separate the proteins and it can control how they are bound and released from a surface. The structure of the protein is not affected during this process. Researchers have developed a prototype of the implant. They say that it can also reduce the possibilities of side effects of medications which usually happen due to traditional pills. The implant only requires a small amount of power, as the polymer on the surface of the electrode is very thin, so it can react to a tiny electrochemical pulse. The researchers also noted that the material can cope with changes in acidity, such as those found in the digestive system, if it were used there.
This electronic implant will have the propertied through which it can control the release and uptake of proteins in a person's body. It will require almost no surgical interventions or injections like it did before this invention. Experts have stated that such a prototype would be made available within a year.
