CONTROL SYSTEM FOR CONTROL OF DISTRIBUTION OF MEDICATION

• US 20160092652A1
• Filed: 09/28/2015
• Published: 03/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zogenix International Limited (Zogenix, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Brabant Pharma
• Inventors: STEWART, Richard Alistair Balfour, CLARKE, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 10,452,815 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24573 using data annotations, e.g. user-defined metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/70 relating to mental therapies, e.g. psychological therapy or autogenous training
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A system of controlling distribution of a medication in the treatment or prevention of epilepsy is provided. A central controller of the system has a data store and one or more processors for reading and writing data to the data store. The data store comprises a database of patient records, each patient record having a medication authorization field. The central controller can output an authorization of a first prescription of epilepsy medication to a patient in dependence upon genetic test results for the patient and schedules a subsequent test for the patient prior to authorization of a subsequent prescription of epilepsy medication. Also provided are methods in which the subject systems find use. The systems and methods find use in the treatment of severe subtypes of epilepsy or refractory epilepsy, such as Dravet Syndrome.

Claims

1. A system for controlling distribution of a medication for treating symptoms of epilepsy, the system comprising:

a data storage facility including a database of patient records, each patient record having a medication authorization field;

a central controller having one or more processors coupled to a communication network, which controls transmission and receipt of data via the network and which is coupled to the data storage facility to read and write data to the data storage facility;

the central controller being programed to output via the network an authorization of a first prescription of epilepsy medication to a specific patient dependent upon a genetic test result for that patient and further programed to schedule a subsequent test for the patient prior to allowing entry of a prescription for epilepsy medication in the medication authorization field.

2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a drug storage facility having epilepsy medication stored therein;

wherein the central controller of the system is programed to monitor drug inventory in the drug storage facility and further programed to control dispatch of medication from the drug storage facility to fulfil a entered into the medication authorization field.

3. The system according to claim 1,

wherein the central controller is programed to authorize prescription related information selected from the group consisting of dosage, volume, count, regime, concentration and intended time period of use by the patient for a specified medication or active ingredient;

and further

wherein the central controller instructs and/or coordinates the genetic test for the patient and subsequent tests for the patient.

4. The system according to claim 1,

wherein the central controller is programed to prescribe a data format for test results for each patient, the data format being aligned with test data fields for each patient;

and

further wherein the central controller is programed to log test results for each patient over time, and to generate a plot showing a trend for each patient.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the central controller is programed to predict future test results and categorizes patient test data by reference to a predetermined model.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the subsequent test is selected from the group consisting of a physiological test, and an echocardiography.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the central controller is programed to output a time period over which use of the medication by a patient is authorized and beyond which subsequent test results for the patient are required to be received before authorizing additional medication for the patient, and further wherein the central controller is programed to authorize an additional prescription, a change to the prescription and output of a proposal for cessation of the prescription dependent upon subsequent test results.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the central controller is programed to

monitor a patient monitoring device;

collect data related to patient treatment;

analyze the data collected;

determine patient response to treatment; and

determine occurrence of and type of seizures.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein,

the patient database contains delivery address details for the patient,

the central controller is programed to:

act as a centralized pharmacy for the medication and,

confirm receipt of the medication at the delivery address.

10. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a portable electronic device carried or worn by the patient for monitoring patient health, the electronic device comprising a sensor for measuring information selected from the group consisting of blood pressure, electrocardiography (ECG), heart rate, blood oxygen, temperature, and lung function, and

wherein the electronic device is arranged to provide sensor readings in a format compatible with the central controller.

11. The system according to claim 1,

wherein an output from the electronic device is used by the central controller to determine at least one of a change to a scheduled medical test for the patient and a change to a medication prescription for the patient;

and further

wherein the central data store comprises a database of authorized medical professionals, the central controller outputting authorization of one or more medical professionals upon completion of one or more data fields indicative of the reputation of the medical professional in the field of epilepsy.

12. The system according to claim 1, for controlling distribution of medicaments in the treatment of symptoms of Dravet Syndrome.

13. A method of controlling distribution of a medication in the treatment or prevention of epilepsy, the method comprising:

maintaining a central data storage facility including a database of patient records, each patient record comprising a medication authorization field,

outputting from a central controller coupled to a communications network and to the data storage facility, an authorization of a first prescription of epilepsy medication to a patient over the communications network only in response to the results of a patient genetic test;

scheduling by the central controller one or more subsequent tests for the patient prior to authorization of one or more subsequent prescriptions of epilepsy medication.

14. The method of controlling distribution of a medication of claim 13, further comprising:

monitoring by the central controller drug inventory in a drug storage facility, and controlling dispatch of medications to fulfil prescriptions.

15. A data carrier comprising non-transitory machine readable storage media storing instructions for the control of one or more processors to function as a central controller of epilepsy medication by:

controlling reading and writing of data to a central data storage facility including a database of patient records, each patient record comprising a medication authorization field;

outputting from the central controller over a communications network an authorization of a first prescription of epilepsy medication to a patient only in response to the results of a genetic test for that patient being logged in the patient database;

automatically scheduling one or more subsequent tests for the patient prior to authorization of one or more subsequent prescriptions of epilepsy medication; and

controlling monitoring by the central controller of drug inventory in a drug storage facility and controlling dispatch of the medications to fulfil the prescriptions.