Developing pharmaceutical technology with a primary focus on patient care and satisfaction
In the realm of pharmaceutical technology, the focus is increasingly shifting towards a patient-centric and personalized design approach. This strategy prioritizes the needs of real patients over idealized user assumptions, aiming to improve adherence and effectiveness.
This approach involves actively engaging actual patients early in the development process, using flexible dosing and easy-to-use formats, and leveraging innovations like 3D printing and smart technologies to tailor treatments precisely to individual needs.
Patient-Centric Design and Personalization is key to ensuring usability frameworks align with actual patient behaviors, preferences, and physical capabilities. Personalized dosing and easy-to-swallow or dissolvable formats improve comfort and adherence for diverse patient groups like children and the elderly.
Involving patients in the research and development process is another crucial strategy. Early and continuous inclusion of patient feedback and clinical outcome assessments measuring what truly matters to patients supports the development of endpoints and devices that reflect real-world experiences, improving acceptance and adherence.
Advanced manufacturing technologies, such as 3D printing, enable customized drug formulations and devices shaped specifically for individual patient needs, enhancing usability, adherence, and therapeutic precision.
Creating drug delivery systems with adjustable dosing, easy handling, and ergonomic features reduces errors and fosters consistent medication use in real-life settings, moving beyond one-size-fits-all designs.
Embedding patient-focused endpoints in regulatory submissions and reimbursement discussions supports prioritizing real patient benefits over theoretical models, accelerating access to better devices.
Simplicity in device design is a high form of innovation, as it hides complexity and reduces steps. Wearable injectors help patients avoid regular clinic visits and make a tough treatment more bearable. A great device offers reassurance at the right moment and can be used by someone with shaking hands and no manual.
Optional or removable features are preferred to avoid complicating the device for the user. The smartest device is not the one with the most features, but the one that knows when to stay out of the way. Designing with empathy involves understanding the user's goals, potential struggles, and emotions.
The hardest part of design is restraint, as it is easy to add features but hard to remove them. Most patients prefer clear, easy-to-use devices that 'just work', especially when they are anxious about injecting themselves.
However, some patients may skip doses as a way to regain control over their condition. Andy Pidgeon, Head of Usability at 42 Technology, argues that many devices designed for drug delivery are not focusing enough on the needs of real patients.
The real measure of success for a drug delivery device is helping people take their medicine safely, confidently, and without hesitation. Each added feature in a device is a potential point of failure, so each must earn its place. A smart injector that helps a patient stick to their therapy without stress is a sign of real progress.
On the other hand, a device that complicates a patient's routine or leaves them feeling confused or watched has failed. AI should be optional and understandable to avoid losing patient trust. By shifting from mythical user assumptions to data-driven, patient-informed designs, drug delivery devices become more functional, acceptable, and adherent, ultimately improving real-world therapeutic outcomes.
[1] "Personalized medicine: the future of drug delivery devices." Medgadget. (2021). Available at: https://www.medgadget.com/2021/02/personalized-medicine-the-future-of-drug-delivery-devices.html
[2] "The future of drug delivery devices: patient-centric design." Pharmaceutical Technology. (2020). Available at: https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/features/future-drug-delivery-devices-patient-centric-design/
[3] "The role of patient-centric design in drug delivery device development." Drug Delivery Business News. (2020). Available at: https://www.drugdeliverybusiness.com/features/role-patient-centric-design-drug-delivery-device-development/
[4] "Designing drug delivery devices for real patients." Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. (2019). Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6874699/
Medical plastics, often used in creating drug delivery devices, are essential in fostering personalized designs aimed at health-and-wellness, aligning with the science of medical-conditions. By incorporating patient feedback and preferences, these devices can be tailored to individual needs, enhancing comfort, adherence, and ultimately improving real-world therapeutic outcomes.
