Taking brittle bone medications via injection can be painful and may even result in us not absorbing the correct doses. It’ll be good news to some to hear that in a few years having injections or taking pills may be a thing of the past thanks to a new drug technology developed by MicroCHIPS.
What is it?
A small microchip was planted under the skin of several women suffering from brittle bones. This means their bone mineral density was so low their wellness was in danger from fractures that could occur as a result of a minor fall. The medicine they were given boosted bone cell renewal. The microchip was controlled remotely and when it was securely activated it released the drug, which was contained in tiny wells in the chip. Each well had a thin covering of metal that would melt when a small current was activated in the device by the secure remote system.
Benefits of the microchip
Any kind of injected drug can cause pain at the site of the injection, but this device delivered the medicine painlessly. Although the women who took part in the trial had a procedure to implant the device, they reported no problems with mobilising afterwards. Another issue with injectables is that we don’t always get the right site, so the medicine may end up going into a muscle, where it could take longer to be absorbed. This system means all the women got the right amount of osteoporosis medicine released into their bloodstream.
What next
The creators of the device would like to see it approved by medical authorities by next year. They plan to increase the number of wells in the microchip so it could be implanted and remain in place for at least 12 months. The implant has been welcomed by the National Osteoporosis Society who understand that we can suffer wellbeing issues from injecting brittle bone drugs on a daily basis, indicating the device could make our lives much more comfortable.
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