A recently developed ingestible pill-sized device, completing initial human trials, holds the capability to monitor crucial vital signs from within the stomach. Designed to track indicators such as breathing and heart rate internally, the smart pill can transmit data to external devices, such as laptops.
Scientists anticipate its potential life-saving applications, especially for individuals at risk of opioid overdose. Lead author Professor Giovanni Traverso, a gastroenterologist in Massachusetts, envisions broader applications, including addressing sleep disorders, emphasizing the device's role in providing easier access to healthcare and supporting treatment.
VM Pill's Breakthrough in Ingestible Devices for Vitals Monitoring
Recent advancements in medical technology have seen the emergence of various ingestible devices, offering a user-friendly alternative to traditional surgical implants like pacemakers. Notably, pill-sized ingestible cameras designed for colonoscopies, typically performed in hospitals, represent a significant stride in this domain.
The newly developed vitals-monitoring pill, referred to as the VM Pill, sets itself apart with its easy ingestibility and cost-effectiveness compared to conventional medical procedures.
Benjamin Pless, co-author of the study and founder of Celero Systems, a Massachusetts-based medical device developer, emphasizes the simplicity of this approach, emphasizing that patients only need to swallow the prescribed capsule.
Operating by monitoring subtle body vibrations associated with breathing and heartbeats, the VM Pill underwent tests on anesthetized pigs. Researchers induced respiratory distress by administering a dose of fentanyl, mimicking an overdose scenario.
The study, titled "First-in-human trial of an ingestible vitals monitoring pill" published in the journal Device, shows that the VM Pill accurately detected changes in the pigs' breathing rates in real-time, showcasing its potential to identify respiratory issues from within the digestive tract.
Human trials involved administering the VM Pill to individuals undergoing evaluations for sleep apnea, a disorder characterized by interrupted breathing during sleep. Impressively, the device demonstrated a 92.7% accuracy in detecting breathing cessation and at least 96% accuracy in monitoring heart rate, surpassing the performance of external vital monitoring machines.
These results underscore the VM Pill's safety and its potential to monitor patients in their natural environments without the need for wires or external devices.
Drug Overdose Deaths in the US
The innovative technology has the potential to revolutionize vital sign monitoring by enabling the measurement of respiration, heart rate, and other essential functions through an ingestible pill in patients' natural environments, offering promising capabilities for those at risk of overdose.
Preventable drug overdose deaths in the United States increased by 58.0% over the last two years. In 2021, it reached to 98,268-an alarming 781% rise since 1999, representing 92% of the total 106,699 drug overdose deaths.
Opioids, comprising both prescription and illicit drugs, account for 77% of these deaths, with synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, contributing to 67,325 fatalities in 2021. Non-opioids, specifically psychostimulants like methamphetamines, caused the second-highest number of preventable drug deaths, claiming 31,607 lives in 2021, a 37% surge from the previous year.
Promising initial data from the VM Pill study for addiction will be released in the coming months, providing valuable insights into addressing the opioid crisis. Watch the video below to see how the pill works when inside the body.
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