ORAL DRUG COMPLIANCE MONITORING USING MAGNETIC-FIELD SENSORS

摘要

A method to measure compliance with a pharmaceutical regimen, by the steps of : (a) ingesting a dose of a medication (10) into the gastrointestinal tract of a person, the dose of medication (10) comprising a drug formulation (13) and a permanent magnet (14); (b) as a result of the ingestion of step (a), detecting passage of the permanent magnet (14) past at least two magnetic field sensors (20) positioned apart from each other and adjacent to the gastrointestinal tract; and (c) measuring compliance with the pharmaceutical regimen by way of the detection of step (b). And, apparatus useful to measure compliance with a pharmaceutical regimen by detecting ingestion of a dose of medication (10) comprising a drug formulation (13) and a permanent magnet (14), the apparatus including at least two magnetic field sensors (20) positioned apart from each other on a necklace (22), each magnetic field sensor (20) being in electronic communication with a microprocessor for receiving signals from the magnetic field sensors (20) to determine the passage of a permanent magnet (14) between the magnetic field sensors (20).