Intent Solutions biometric medication control device used in Kentucky hepatitis C program
The fingerprint biometric capabilities of the “tad” medication dispenser from Intent Solutions are providing medication adherence tracking as part of a program for eliminating Hepatitis C in an eastern Kentucky county.
Intent has partnered with the University of Kentucky in a $15 million federal grant program to help a county particularly hard-hit by the potentially deadly virus. The tad device will be used to manage the dispensation of hepatitis C medications for 900 individuals to track patient adherence, as a 12-week regimen is required to cure patients of the virus.
The medications to be used in the program have been donated by biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences, at an estimated value of $20 million.
“tad is uniquely suited to population health intervention programs like this one, and we are proud to be part of it,” says Intent Solutions CEO Sam Zamarripa. “While our tad system was originally developed to reduce the misuse, abuse and diversion of opioids, we have also seen its potential in other areas, such as clinical trials. In hepatitis C treatment, it is mission-critical that medications be taken properly to rid the body of the hepatitis C virus (HCV), and tad is an ideal tool for making that happen, as the leaders of Kentucky’s intervention program in this Appalachian county clearly see.”
By providing medication through tad, the program enables physicians, therapists, and caregivers to monitor how regularly patients are taking their medications, as well as any attempts to abuse, misuse, or divert the drugs provided.
The Kentucky Viral Hepatitis Treatment Study targets Perry County, which has experienced a spike in hepatitis C infections, due largely to the opioid crisis.
The use of fingerprint biometrics to control drug access seems to be gaining momentum, with a pilot of such a system recently announced for UK prisons.
Article Topics
biometrics | fingerprint authentication | healthcare | patient monitoring
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