Every year, almost 15,000 people die due to a prescription painkiller overdose. Haunted by this disturbing fact, a group of students from Brigham Young University (BYU) in Utah looked to invent a tactic to help manage prescription drugs, and at least curb their abuse.
The Med Vault device created by BYU students. (Image via BYU)
The group of engineering students entered into the annual BYU Engineering Capstone Program, a competition in which 30 companies from around the world sponsor student teams that will work to find engineering solutions for their company’s needs.
This year, the BYU team created a device that regulates the amount of painkillers dispensed based strictly on pharmacists’ instructions. The goal of such a device is to prevent unnecessary and potentially fatal drug use. The Med Vault is basically a durable pill container that will distribute your medication only in the amount prescribed by the doctor.
Working on the electronic elements of the Med Vault device. (Image via BYU)
When you go to the pharmacy to fill your prescription, the pharmacist can plug your MedVault into the computer via USB cable and use the software created by the BYU students to specify how many times per day the bottle should release your pills.
Once the pharmacist unplugs the device from the computer, it will lock and strictly follow the pharmacist’s instructions. In order to access your daily dose, you must enter an access code on the MedVault, in order to ensure further protection.
The team’s final prototype dispenses pills of all shapes and sizes. The students designed it this way so that patients can reuse the container for refills. This could also alert the pharmacist if the device has been tampered with in any way.
Team Med Vault students show off their prescription drug regulating device. (Image via BYU)
Blackstone, the team’s company sponsor, whose vice president, Chris Blackburn, is a Las Vegas paramedic and has seen his fair share of prescription pill overdoses, has filed a patent for the students’ invention and will be pushing their prototype into production.
“The Med Vault is designed to combat the abuse, misuse, overdoses and fraud associated with those drugs,” said Blackburn.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Protection, in 2010, enough prescription painkillers were prescribed to medicate every American adult around-the-clock for a whole month.
Hopefully the team’s device can hit the market soon and help prevent some of the damage caused by the painkiller epidemic.
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