SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANGING USE OF A MEDICAMENT

• US 20110226817A1
• Filed: 01/27/2011
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SpecGx LLC (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Original Assignee: Mallinckrodt Incorporated (Mallinckrodt plc)
• Inventors: Datta, Pari, Mawby, Andrew Robert, Bickerstaffe, Jeremy, Ziemba, Robert J., Ortenzi, Vernon D., Craft, Brandon, Karger, Simon Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 9,046,403 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/424.5
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/03 for pills or tablets containers for pills or tablets with special dispensing means therefor B65D83/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1418 Threaded type
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1425 Snap-fit type
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/18 Arrangements for indicating condition of container contents, e.g. sterile condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0436 resulting from removing a drug from, or opening, a container
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0472 of the count-down type, i.e. counting down a predetermined interval after each reset
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/006 Details or accessories general details G01F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/063 using electrical means

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing use of a pharmaceutical product (112) are provided. The systems and methods utilize an external cover (150) and a container (110), along with a first material (160) and a pharmaceutical product (112) that are each contained within an internal space (116) that exists when the external cover (150) is in a closed position relative to the container (110). Release of the first material (160) may bond the external cover (150) to the container (110), may result in the first material (160) coming into contact with the pharmaceutical product (112), or both.

Claims

1. A pharmaceutical product supply, comprising:

a container comprising an opening;

an external cover detachably engaged with said container, wherein said external cover blocks said opening;

an internal space when said external cover is detachably engaged with said container;

pharmaceutical product disposed within said internal space;

a first material disposed within said internal space; and

a release mechanism associated with said first material, wherein at least one of said container and said external cover comprises said release mechanism.

2. The pharmaceutical product supply of claim 1, wherein said release mechanism is activatable to release said first material from a confined condition.

3. The pharmaceutical product supply of claim 1, wherein said external cover comprises a receptacle and a seal, wherein said first material is disposed within said receptacle, wherein said seal isolates said receptacle from a remainder of said internal space, and wherein said release mechanism is operative to interact with and disable said seal.

4. The pharmaceutical product supply of claim 1, further comprising:

a containment comprising said first material and that isolates said first material from a remainder of said internal space until activation of said release mechanism, wherein said release mechanism is operable to open said containment.

5. The pharmaceutical product supply of claim 4, wherein said containment is at a pressure greater than a pressure in a portion of said internal space containing said pharmaceutical product.

6. The pharmaceutical product supply of claim 1, wherein said first material is selected from the group consisting of an emetic, a taste deterrent, an adhesive, an epoxy, an olfactory repellent, a drug antagonist, or any combination thereof.

7. The pharmaceutical product supply of claim 1, wherein said release mechanism is responsive to a signal to dispose said first material in a released state.

8. The pharmaceutical product supply of claim 1, wherein said release mechanism is activatable in response to a timer.

9. The pharmaceutical product supply of claim 1, wherein said release mechanism is manually activatable on an exterior of said pharmaceutical product supply.

10. The pharmaceutical product supply of claim 9, wherein said release mechanism is accessible through an external cap.

11. The pharmaceutical product supply of claim 1, wherein said release mechanism is activatable in response to a predetermined event, wherein said predetermined event comprises at least one of:

exceeding a predetermined number of detachments of said external cover from said container over a predetermined time period; and

a predetermined time period elapsing without an occurrence of a predetermined number of detachments of said external cover from said container.

12. The pharmaceutical product supply of claim 1, wherein said release mechanism is operable to release said first material to lock said external cover to said container.

13. The pharmaceutical product supply of claim 1, wherein said release mechanism is operable to release said first material and upon said release, said first material contacts said pharmaceutical product within said internal space.

14. The pharmaceutical product supply of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor operative to determine if said external cover is engaged with said container, wherein said release mechanism is activatable when said external cover is engaged with said container and is not activatable when said external cover is not engaged with said container.

15. The pharmaceutical product supply of claim 1, further comprising:

an alert indicative of a remaining time period prior to activation of said release mechanism.

16. A pharmaceutical product supply system, comprising;

the pharmaceutical product supply of claim 1; and

a remotely located trigger, wherein said release mechanism is activatable in response to said remotely located trigger.

17. A pharmaceutical product supply system, comprising:

the pharmaceutical product supply of claim 1; and

a plurality of selectable external covers that are detachably engageable with said container, wherein a first group of said plurality of selectable external covers is associated with a first timed release of said first material, wherein a second group of said plurality of external covers is associated with a second timed release of said first material that is different from said first timed release, and wherein said external cover is selected from said plurality of selectable external covers.

18. The pharmaceutical product supply system of claim 17, wherein said first group of said plurality of selectable external covers bear corresponding first indicia indicative of said first timed release and said second group of said plurality of selectable external covers bear corresponding second indicia indicative of said second timed release.

19. A pharmaceutical product container lid, comprising:

a connector detachably engageable with a pharmaceutical product container;

a first material; and

a release mechanism associated with said first material.

20. A method for managing use of a pharmaceutical product, comprising the steps of:

uncoupling an external cover from a container, wherein said uncoupling step comprises moving said external cover to an open position to expose an opening of said container;

removing pharmaceutical product from said container through said opening while said external cover is in said open position;

coupling said external cover with said container, wherein said coupling step comprises moving said external cover to a closed position, wherein said container and cover collectively define an enclosed space when said external cover is in said closed position, wherein said enclosed space comprises both a pharmaceutical product and a first material, and wherein said first material is isolated from said pharmaceutical product when said first material is in a confined state;

activating a release mechanism with said external cover being in said closed position and when said first material is in said confined state;

releasing said first material from said confined state in response to said activating step; and

changing a usability of said pharmaceutical product from a first state to a second state in response to said releasing step.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said activating step comprises manually activating said release mechanism.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein said activating step is responsive to a timer.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein said activating step is responsive to a predetermined event comprising at least one of:

exceeding a predetermined number of detachments of said external cover from said container over a predetermined time period; and

a predetermined number of detachments of said external cover from said container not occurring during a predetermined time period.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein said activating step comprises sending a signal to said release mechanism.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein said releasing step comprises at least one of:

creating a path between said first material and said pharmaceutical product; and

creating a path to an interface between said external cover and said container.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein said changing step comprises at least one of:

bonding said external cover to said container; and

contacting said pharmaceutical product with said first material.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

selecting said external cover from a plurality of external covers, wherein said external cover comprises said release mechanism and said first material.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said selecting step is at least partially based on a timed release associated with said external cover.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein said plurality of external covers comprises a plurality of groups of external covers, each group of said plurality of groups of external covers being associated with a timed release period that is different than other groups of said plurality of groups of external covers.