Pharmacy On-a-chip Dispenses Drugs Automatically

An anonymous reader writes "The idea is simple — load up a microchip with a whole pharmacy of drugs that are dispensed as needed automatically. The devil has been in the details, since mistakes could kill the patient if, say, a leak developed dumping dangerous cocktails into the bloodstream. This MIT sponsored company, however, claims to have perfected wireless control of a pharmacy-on-a-chip and has just completed the clinical trials to prove it. The test microchip has just 20 doses of a single drug, but their new prototype will house thousands of pin-prick sized drug reservoirs, after which they will seek FDA approval. The elderly (who have complicated drug regime) and soldiers could both benefit from these smart pharmacies-on-a-chip, since drugs can be dispensed even if the patient is unconscious."

Comments

Perfected wireless control?

[__aaltlg1547]

Until somebody hacks it. Then one morning 100,000 elderly people don't wake up.

I'm terrified.

[eparker05]

From TFA:
"This avoids the compliance issue completely, and points to a future where you have fully automated drug regimens."

I say this jokingly now, but first they will start using it on psychotic people who will not self administer. Then.... who knows.