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Usability testing of a novel digital pill bottle

A novel smart pill bottle may support patients’ adherence. This new bottle is connected with a smartphone app, allowing the user to receive reminders when a new dose is due. The user can activate the dispense by pressing a button on his or her smartphone and the dispense is recorded. A patients can give his or her healthcare professional access to the platform with dosing data. The bottle also contains a temperature sensor to track whether the drug remains stored under optimal conditions. At MAECON, we have performed the first usability study of this novel smart pill bottle in healthy volunteers. Subsequently, a first in human clinical study was performed in patients with tuberculosis at our hospital. Of note, for patients with tuberculosis, optimal medication adherence is of utmost importance to make sure the infection is fully eliminated and the bacteria are prevented from spreading to other people. Traditionally, patients’ adherence was monitored by directly observed therapy (DOT) yet this is resource intensive and deemed paternalistic. The smart pill bottle may enhance patients self-management and empowerment. In this clinical study, as a mean of validation, we compared digital data from the smart pill bottle with concentrations of anti-TB medication (rifampicin) in patients’ saliva samples. Saliva samples were analyzed at our in-house bioanalytical lab of the University Medical Center Groningen.

Funding: eLucid mHealth, United Kingdom

Link to publications:
Zijp TR, et al. User Acceptability and Technical Robustness Evaluation of a Novel Smart Pill Bottle Prototype Designed to Support Medication Adherence. Patient Prefer Adherence 2020:

Ghimire S, et al. Combining digital adherence technology and therapeutic drug monitoring for personalized TB care. European Respiratory Journal 2022;

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