Developing drug delivery technology geared towards patient care and satisfaction
In the realm of drug delivery device design, the primary goal is to ensure a safe, confident, and hesitation-free medication administration experience for patients. This is achieved by focusing on simplicity, ease of use, and avoiding unnecessary complexity.
Empathetic design for real-life users revolves around making technology that is trustworthy, straightforward, and fits seamlessly into the context of patients and caregivers. The design process begins with early and continuous user research to deeply understand the needs, limitations, and environments of real users, turning these insights into clear, actionable design requirements.
Human factors and usability testing are conducted throughout design development to validate that the device is intuitive, minimizes user errors, and fits seamlessly into daily routines. Design simplification is another key principle, achieved by reducing the number of parts, assembly steps, and interactions required, using modular, standard components where possible to enhance ease of manufacturing and user handling.
Collaboration with manufacturers and cross-functional teams is essential to balance functionality with manufacturability, cost-effectiveness, regulatory compliance, and ease of assembly. Iterative prototyping and refinement allow real users to test early device versions, facilitating design improvements focused on minimizing complexity and improving user experience.
Compatibility with the drug’s characteristics and user population’s abilities is crucial, ensuring the delivery mechanism is suitable and safe for intended users and their environments. Clear instructional design and packaging support correct use without confusion or excessive steps.
Wearable injectors, for instance, infuse larger volumes of viscous drugs through a patch-like device, making a tough treatment more bearable. Well-designed connected injectors can support adherence, but adherence may drop off in real-life situations.
However, it's important to remember that not all patients are the same. Some may be nervous, others rushed, many just want the injection over with. Simplicity is essential for these users. Technology should only be added when it benefits the user, and every added feature is a potential point of failure.
AI should be optional and understandable to avoid becoming a burden or a black box that's too clever for users to understand. The smartest device is not the one with the most features; it is the one that knows when to stay out of the way.
Believing that all patients will prioritize their therapy is a fantasy. Some patients skip doses because taking a "medication holiday" gives them back agency over their condition. Bluetooth, while promising seamless data transfer, can be fiddly and dependent on unpredictable 3rd party hardware.
The hardest part of design is restraint, as it is easy to add features but difficult to remove them. In critical moments, such as injecting, clarity is preferred over numerous choices. A device that complicates the patient's routine or leaves them feeling confused or watched has failed in its purpose. A smart injector that helps patients adhere to their therapy without stress is a sign of real progress.
Andy Pidgeon, Head of Usability at 42 Technology, argues that many drug delivery devices are designed for mythical users and not for the actual patients. Platform devices allow pharma companies to save time, reduce cost, and improve reliability by using proven platforms to accommodate different syringe sizes and fill volumes. However, this may result in less specificity for particular patient groups or indications.
In conclusion, empathetic design of drug delivery devices is about understanding the user's goals, potential struggles, and emotional state during drug administration. Simplicity in design is not the opposite of innovation, but rather the highest form of it, as it hides complexity, reduces steps, and removes decisions. The goal is to create devices that are trustworthy, straightforward, and fit seamlessly into the real-world context of patients and caregivers, avoiding technical or operational complexity that could create barriers to effective use.
Medical plastics and technology play integral roles in creating intuitive and user-friendly drug delivery devices, with a focus on enhancing health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise for patients. Science and user research are at the forefront of the design process, ensuring devices cater to real-world medical-conditions and are tailored to the needs of individual users. CBD, as a potential therapeutic option, may also benefit from medical plastics and technology in the development of safe and effective delivery systems. By prioritizing simplicity, reducing complexity, and striving for seamless compatibility with daily routines, these devices aim to improve health-and-wellness, fitness, and overall quality of life for patients. However, it is crucial to remember that each patient is unique, and design should not unnecessarily burden or confuse them, especially during critical procedures like injecting. Thus, empathetic design harnesses the power of technology while keeping user-centricity at the core.
