NXP is launching a solution to help addressing the problem of patients not taking their medicines as prescribed. For this adherence problem NXP Semiconductors announced the launch of NHS315x, a therapy adherence improvement platform on November 18, 2015.
Despite medical advances in recent decades, many treatments are still not as effective as they could be as patients do not always finish or prolong their medicine course. Elderly patients may have difficulty in remembering to do so. Chronically ill patients may discontinue taking their medication once they feel better, unaware their disease may recur with severe knock-on effects. The incurred impact linked to poor therapy adherence in the US is estimated around 280 billion USD and 125,000 casualties every year.
NXP is launching a solution that helps address this problem. An NFC-enabled (short ranged) sensor is embedded in blister packs or pill bottles and tracks which medication was removed at what time from the package. That information is recorded through the user simply tapping their smartphone to the package. This information can subsequently be used to offer therapy specific and personalized services to support the patient, care-giver or healthcare professional.
The product value proposition has already been confirmed in the Honors Academy program at the Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands, which conducted a study around therapy adherence and how technology can be effectively used to address the problem.
Source: nxp.com
Editing for Eindhoven News: Chuan Nie
