Cool Tool: Pills That Get "Sick"

One of the problems with health care is that, as Bob pointed out this morning, a lot of us don't take out own responsibility all that seriously. That translates into other issues, of course, but one that we see with increasing frequency is folks who just stop taking their meds. They do this for a variety of reasons, of course, but one surely must be lack of immediate and notable feedback.

That's where Mathieu Lehanneur, a French artiste, comes in:

"Instead of redesigning you, why not redesign the pills? ... If the boy doesn't take his medicine on time, the inhaler will change color "displaying its own physiological problem and indicating to the patient the urgency of taking the medication."

That's right: if you don't take the pill, it gets "sick."

And he's designed an inhaler and other delivery systems, as well. I'm sure there'll be all kinds of hurdles to get these on the market (starting with an often recalcitrant FDA), but how cool would it be to want to take your medicine?

Maybe a syringe with a spoonful of sugar?