Big news for those who have chronic medical conditions -- American scientists have developed a microchip that time-releases medication so pills become unnecessary:

This type of drug delivery could be very useful for patients who have to take many different tablets at specific times each day for instance those with HIV.

It could also help patients suffering from dementia who cannot remember when to take their drugs.

My wife, who has had Type 1 diabetes for almost 40 years and is blind, has also had a kidney transplant which requires a number of pills every day. Because of her blindness, I separate all her pills into four doses every day (she also has hypertension, hypothyroidism, gastroparesis ... lots of complications). She's fully capable of taking care of herself otherwise, but even she can forget a dose once in a while, and the change in blood chemistry plays hell with her insulin requirements. If she could just have a few microchips implanted every three or four months, she would be able to manage her illness more independently and not feel like I have to manage her health care. I don't mind doing it, and I know she appreciates it, but it frustrates her.

The story doesn't have any background about how the pharmaceutical companies would be involved with microchip design; I'm thinking the technology would be licensed to the pharmaceutical companies so that they produce it along with the medicine, rather than have a third party combine the microchips and the medicine. (via Drudge Report)

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