ELECTRONIC MEDICATION COMPLIANCE MONITORING SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED METHODS

• US 20140309505A1
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Published: 10/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2005
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Etectrx Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ETect, Inc.
• Inventors: EULIANO, NEIL, DARMANIJAN, SHALOM, BUFFKIN, ERIC, MYERS, BRENT, FLORES, GLEN
• Application Number:
  US14/215,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20140309505A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/302
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/073 Intestinal transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/35 by template matching
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4833 Assessment of subject's compliance to treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/002 Devices for releasing a drug at a continuous and controlled rate for a prolonged period of time artificial gland structures or devices A61F2/022; intra-uterine contraceptive devices A61F6/14; tampons for introducing into the vagina A61F13/20, A61L15/00; suppositories or bougies for intra-vaginal or intra-uterine application A61K9/02; physical forms of medicinal preparations for sustained or differential drug release A61K9/20, A61K9/50

Abstract

A method of monitoring a patient'"'"'s compliance with a medication program includes transmitting a first signal from an electronic ingestible medication delivery device located within a patient'"'"'s body, the signal including information about a physiological parameter of the patient. The signal is detected with an electronic reader located outside the patient'"'"'s body. A second signal is provided to the reader from a different source than the delivery device. The second signal includes information about the same physiological parameter of the patient. Related systems are also described.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a patient'"'"'s compliance with a medication delivery program, the system comprising:

an electronic ingestible medication delivery device that, after ingestion by a patient, makes a first measurement of a physiological parameter of the patient and transmits a signal from within the patient'"'"'s body, the signal including information from the first measurement; and

an electronic reader outside the patient'"'"'s body that reads the signal and makes a second measurement of the same physiological parameter of the patient.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the physiological parameter of the patient is the patient'"'"'s ECG.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the information from the first measurement is a time component selected from the patient'"'"'s ECG, the time component being a time between successive peaks in the patient'"'"'s ECG.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the information from the first measurement is a time component selected from the patient'"'"'s ECG, the time component being a time between successive R peaks in the patient'"'"'s ECG.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the reader is wearable by the patient.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the reader reads the signal within a time-frame defined by the physiological parameter.

7. A system for monitoring a patient'"'"'s compliance with a medication program, the system comprising:

an ingestible medication delivery device carrying an electronic circuit that transmits an electromagnetic signal from within a patient'"'"'s body to outside the patient'"'"'s body; and

an electronic reader positioned outside the patient'"'"'s body that detects the electromagnetic signal; and

wherein transmission and detection of the electromagnetic signal are synchronized according to a physiological parameter measured from the patient.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the physiological parameter is measured by the delivery device, the reader, or both.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the physiological parameter is the patient'"'"'s ECG.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the transmitted signal includes a time component selected from the patient'"'"'s ECG, the time component being a time between successive R peaks in the patient'"'"'s ECG.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the reader is wearable by the patient.

12. A method of monitoring a patient'"'"'s compliance with a medication program, the method comprising:

transmitting a first signal from an electronic ingestible medication delivery device located within a patient'"'"'s body, the signal including information about a physiological parameter of the patient;

detecting the signal with an electronic reader located outside the patient'"'"'s body; and

providing a second signal to the reader from a different source than the delivery device, the second signal including information about the same physiological parameter of the patient.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising comparing the first and second signals to determine whether both the first and second signals are from the patient.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising synchronizing transmission by the delivery device and detection of the first signal by the reader with a time component of the physiological parameter.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the physiological parameter is measured by the delivery device, the reader, or both.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the physiological parameter is the patient'"'"'s ECG.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of providing the first signal with a time component selected from the patient'"'"'s ECG, the time component being a time between successive R peaks in the patient'"'"'s ECG.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the reader is worn by the patient during the detecting step.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmitting and detecting steps occur during a plurality of times while the delivery device is within the patient'"'"'s body.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising applying a principal component analysis algorithm to the first signal.