Targeted Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems to Manage Regular Drug Administration and Reduce Patient Noncompliance

Patient noncompliance introduces human error to medicine, and limits the extent of effective clinical care. A portable, automated patch can simplify this process by regulating and dispensing the necessary amount of medication that a patient requires systemically, directly through the skin. This device will be low-profile, noninvasive, water-resistant, easy to use, affordable, and durable, in order to reduce the hassle and any possibility of patient noncompliance. The types and doses of medication must be carefully programmed by a medical professional to ensure proper treatment. Transdermally administered medication has proven to be successful in the past in the treatment of chronic pain. To test the viability of such a versatile transdermal delivery system, we will attempt to replace traditional medication for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients using prednisolone. The inconvenience of frequent dosing, multiple pills, and inhalers are major contributors to noncompliance.