Philips' remote control pill may cure your allergies

Remote-controlled pill

Many different mecahnisms have been developed to deliver varying levels of medication. Patches, time-released pills, gas-propelled injections, and coated pills all utilize different timing mechanisms to deliver medication where and when it is needed. However, the timing mechanisms may not work based on diet, varying body structure/metabolism/enzyme activity.

Phillips has created a remote-controlled pill that can house a drug that can then be released at varying times/levels via an electronic signal. The pill's migration throughout the body is monitored by MRI/ultrasound.

The pill can also be manipulated to release based on a chemical trigger from an environmental factor such as the achievement of a certain pH, or a certain blood pressure rate. The intent is to make a disposable/recyclable drug delivery system that could surpass the usability of the normal pill form.

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