Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Digital Pill Approved By FDA, But Some Worry It's The Medical Equivalent Of A Tattletale
The New York Times: First Digital Pill Approved To Worries About Biomedical ‘Big Brother’
For the first time, the Food and Drug Administration has approved a digital pill — a medication embedded with a sensor that can tell doctors whether, and when, patients take their medicine. The approval, announced late on Monday, marks a significant advance in the growing field of digital devices designed to monitor medicine-taking and to address the expensive, longstanding problem that millions of patients do not take drugs as prescribed. (Belluck, 11/13)
The Wall Street Journal: Digital Pills That Talk To Your Doctor Are Here
Tuesday’s green light from the Food and Drug Administration means Japan’s Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. can implant a tiny chip containing minerals like silicon, magnesium and copper inside tablets of Abilify, which is used to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses. Once swallowed, the chip mixes with stomach acids and sends a heartbeat-like signal to an adhesive patch worn on a patient’s torso. The patch records the dosage and time of ingestion and relays this to a smartphone app for patients to monitor and share with doctors and caretakers. The chip ultimately passes through the digestive tract normally. (Rana, 11/13)
Stat: FDA Approves The First Pill That Can Alert Your Doctor When You Swallow It
Monday’s hard-won approval could come as a big boost for Otsuka, which had lost market share after Abilify went generic but will now have a way to make the product stand out. The company is expected to price the new product at a markup above the original Abilify. The company is finalizing that price and expects to announce it next year, closer to the product launch, according to company spokeswoman Kimberly Whitefield. (Robbins, 11/13)
