Chowing Down On Microchips

Imagine a "smart pill" containing a microchip that tells a computer when you've taken your medication.

Reality? You bet:

UK-based retail pharmacy chain Lloydspharmacy has inked an exclusive deal with Proteus Biomedical to launch Proteus’ first commercial product, Helius, an offering that includes sensor-enabled pills, a peel-and-stick sensor patch worn on the body, and a mobile health app. The patch records when a pill is ingested, tracks sleep patterns, and records physical activity levels.

Will it affect medication complicance?

I'm not so sure.

But the idea of a smart phone reminding folks they've skipped their medication might be pretty useful for some, provided they don't eventually suffer from a second potentially more severe malady: alarm fatigue.

-Wes