Remote-controllable dosage management through a wearable iontophoretic patch utilizing a cell phone.

Abstract

With regard to medical treatment through operations, remote control is possible, however, the area of remote-controllable drug treatment is yet to be established. In this study, a prototyped remote-controllable dosage management system that allows patients and caregivers to administer therapeutic drugs via an internet line without touching the dosage device or formulation was developed. This system consists of a transmitter (System A) located away from the patient, and a dosage device (System B) equipped with a receiver (B1), dosage management unit (B2), and a drug treatment unit (B3) that can be installed on the patient. Additionally, Bluetooth® is adopted to communicate from System A to System B. In the present study, System A was incorporated into a cell phone, and System B was a constant-current iontophoresis (IP) device, which was applied on excised pig skin. Sodium salt of betamethasone phosphate (BP-Na+) was selected as a model drug, and the in vitro skin permeation of BP- was evaluated. As a result, by transmitting the administration information incorporated in System A through B1 to B2, the optimal current was passed between the IP electrodes in B3, and the skin permeation of BP- was obtained by remote control. That is, the skin permeation of BP- was obtained by the current flowing from the IP device. The permeation amount decreased when the voltage load was stopped. These results suggested that remote control from System A enables dosing management of bioactive substances from dosage devices applied on the skin, intracutaneously, or subcutaneously without being near the patient. Although various trials are still required to complete the remote-controlled system, the patient does not have to go to the hospital except to take injections. Such drug administrations would lead to decreased medical expenses and increased quality of life for patients.