SARASOTA, Fla. -The opioid epidemic takes an average 115 American lives every day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
One Sarasota company thinks they have the answer to the opioid addiction problem.
“Our mantra is stopping the start of the opioid addiction,” said Rob Brady, owner of RoBrady Designs.
Brady has designed a digital pill dispenser called the PILL that's programmed to a patient’s prescription. The dispenser is the same color as any prescription bottle except it’s round like a disk and enclosed. Inside is a blister packet with the pills and in the center is a digital clock with software that records use.
“When the timer six hours hits zero minutes, it’ll display ready to take the next pill," Brady said. "Behind it there’s a twisting mechanism. We twist that move it to the next pill this locks it out now you can’t advance beyond that. The turning mechanism resets the clock for the next does."
Jessica Zeilman used to be hooked on painkillers to treat injuries from a car accident. Zeilman recovered with the help of Prodigal Daughters and now helps other women going through addiction.
“To start in the beginning I think that would have been great would have helped me," she said.
But Zeilman sees a problem.
“It’s just a plastic device probably break it," she said. "I would have broken it open at a certain point in my addiction if I’m being honest.”
Brady says to have a prescription re-filled, the patient must return the dispenser to the pharmacist any tampering would be reported to the doctor.
Brady has been designing products for 25 years.
“If we can actually get this to market save lives be the best thing I’ve ever designed," he said.
The PILL dispenser also records a patient’s pill use it’s information that’s kept in a data base and for doctors to review.
Brady says the product will be ready for clinical testing in 6-9 months. The company has been talking with the FDA.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 10 News app now.
Have a news tip? Email tips@wtsp.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.
