FDA approves first ever pill with a built-in digital tracking device

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reportedly approved a pill that is endowed with a unique digital tracking device. Tentatively called Abilify MyCite, this psychiatric medication system has been developed by the Japan-based Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., and is embedded with ingestible sensors to help diagnose depression and schizophrenia in adults.

For the record, earlier, Abilify had been approved to be used for schizophrenia treatment, without the assistance of sensors technology.

Reportedly, the Abilify MyCite system delivers a message to the wearable patch worn by the patient, with the help of sensor incorporated in the pills. The wearable patch senses and records the psychological healthcare data related to the patient’s activity and communicates the same to the MyCite App compatible with mobiles and smartphones. The sensor is reportedly digestible as it is manufactured with ingredients found in food, and can be easily eliminated from the body. Post coming into contact with food in the stomach, the sensor gets activated and shares information with the MyCite Patch, cite reports.

The President and Chief Executive Officer of Proteus Digital Health, which has developed this wearable patch, has been quoted stating that with the approval of FDA, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. would now be able to help people afflicted with serious mental disorders to discuss novel treatment plans with their healthcare experts.

For the record, the newly developed Abilify MyCite will not able to track real-time medicine ingestion, but this technology is likely to revolutionize healthcare infrastructure with more and more advancements in the field of digital technology. Experts cite that the Abilify MyCite represents one of the noteworthy steps taken by Otsuka toward digitalization. In addition, with the help of feedback received from patients, who have used these systems, Otsuka will enhance their product portfolio over the years ahead, state sources.