Information Mediary Corporation's focus is on the financial and human costs associated with medication non-compliance. This has resulted in the development of the Med-ic ECM (Electronic Compliance Monitor), a revolutionary device that provides precise inventory control for blister packaged medication in clinical settings. The Med-ic ECM is integrated seamlessly with the blister package dispensing procedure, adds no bulk to the blister package, and does not require the patient to do anything but dispense the pills from the blister package as usual.

Using state-of-the-art electronics, the Med-ic ECM records the time each pill or capsule is expelled from the blister package, keeping a record for later analysis. At the time of refilling or follow-up visit, the information is downloaded to the physician's or pharmacist's computer or handheld device where it can be displayed graphically. For clinical trials, the data can be stored for later analysis.

The Med-ic ECM can be tailored to specific clinical requirements such as monitoring the temperature, vibration, humidity, radiation, light or shock to which the package might be exposed. Visual and auditory reminders can also be added to the device if required. The Med-ic ECM is environmentally safe, using a nontoxic power cell.

The Med-ic ECM adapts seamlessly to existing blister package configurations, allowing for the addition of the Med-ic ECM to existing medication production runs.

The Med-ic ECM is designed to improve clinical trial results by facilitating the acquisition of accurate data on patient compliance with their dosing schedules. The Med-ic ECM streamlines data acquisition via an easy-to-use contactless reader and encrypted software. Non-compliant patients are identified so that their data will not bias clinical trial results against demonstrating clinical efficacy. The Med-ic ECM reduces clinical trial costs by eliminating the need for pill counting and medication diaries. Most importantly, however, the Med-ic ECM can help avoid erroneous decisions to abandon or continue clinical trials.

The Med-ic ECM works in any clinical setting where blister packaged medication is used and where patient compliance is of interest to the clinician. The information available to the physician at the follow up visit (e.g. on completion of a course of antibiotic for an infection) will permit rational assessment of the effectiveness of treatment and dictate further treatment strategies. For example, a poor clinical response in a non-compliant patient might discourage a physician from switching antibiotics unnecessarily.

In the case of chronically administered medication (e.g. for hypertension or migraine prophylaxis), the physician or pharmacist could target remedial education to those patients who are non-compliant.

There are many situations where it is desirable to monitor the environmental conditions under which the packaged medication is stored or transported. The Med-ic ECM can be adapted to monitor medication that is temperature, vibration, shock, humidity, radiation or light sensitive. Visual and sound devices can be used to warn of medication expiry dates, time for next dose, and give instructions on what to do about a missed dose.

The Med-ic ECM is also useful in the prevention of counterfeiting by storing an encrypted unique identification in its memory module. This secure ID can be used to track grey-market activities or unauthorized sale. It can warn of expiration, facilitate recalls, and generally provide information of interest from marketing, safety and logistics points of view.

Using an onboard CPU embedded in a blister package, Med-ic ECM tags record the time a tablet or capsule is expelled from a blister-packaged wallet of medication, keeping a record for later analysis. At the time of refilling or follow up visit, the information is downloaded through a 13.56 MHz RF wireless reader to the researcher's computer where it can be displayed graphically.

Med-ic CertiScan accurately displays the dosing data with an intuitive and easy to read graphic user interface with point and click "drill down" capabilities ranging from daily to annual "at a glance" views of patient compliance data.

Med-ic CertiScan uses a secure proprietary trial data file to store electronic records of compliance data. Med-ic trial data files can also be exported as CSV (Comma Separated Value) files and viewed with spreadsheet tools like MS-Excel.

Return to ECM and CertiScan.