A team of scientists at MIT is hoping to create an alternative to injections by developing a special pill that could work in a similar way.
Generally, people don’t care for shots, but when it comes to administering some pharmaceuticals it’s the only option.
A team of scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Massachusetts General Hospital is hoping to change that and is developing a special pill that could replace a variety of injections.
It does not, however, get entirely rid of needles as the capsule itself is studded with them.
The idea behind it is that the pill would safely pass into the stomach and dissolve once it entered the digestive tract allowing the sharp points to penetrate the lining and deliver the medication.
Traditional pills are a problematic delivery system for some drugs as they end up getting broken down by the digestive system before their active ingredients can be fully absorbed into the body.
The needle pill has some issues of its own, but the scientists are in the process of working them out.
One potential complication is that the needles could puncture something other than the pill’s intended target and release the medications too soon.
That matter has been addressed through the addition of a coating that dissolves when the proper destination has been reached.
Researchers have now moved on to modifying the capsule to work better with the digestive tracts’ contractions and dissolvable needles to further reduce safety concerns.
