Your medicine may report when it is taken.

MIT researchers have developed a biodegradable 'smart pill' that can wirelessly signal when it has been swallowed; the device activated in tests with pigs but still requires human trials and manufacturing scale-up before use.

MIT researchers have developed a biodegradable "smart pill" designed to send a radio-frequency signal when it is swallowed, aiming to confirm that a dose was taken. The team tested the device in pigs and reported that the signal was detected from the stomach. The work responds to concerns about medication non-adherence and is intended to support monitoring for drugs where missed doses can be harmful. The devices are not yet approved for people and require additional safety testing and production planning. Key facts: - The research team created a degradable pill that activates and transmits a radio signal once its protective coating dissolves in the stomach. - In tests with five pigs, the devices activated and transmitted a detectable signal; researchers reported the remaining chip passed through the digestive tract in those experiments. - The researchers say human clinical testing and efforts to scale up manufacturing are still needed, and they envision a wearable receiver that could collect signals for health care providers. Summary: The study demonstrates a method to confirm ingestion that could be targeted to medications where adherence is especially important. The device worked in animal tests, but human safety and effectiveness studies plus production scale-up are required before clinical use.