PillSafeThe Tamper Resistant Prescription Drug Container |
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Frequently Asked Questions about PillSafe
How does the pill safe work?The doctor prescribes an the minimum amount of time allowed between pills. When the patient presses the "dispense" button the first time, the PillSafe dispenses a pill. After that, an internal timer keeps track of how long it has been since the PillSafe has dispensed a pill. Pressing the button before the doctor prescribed interval will have no result. After the prescribed interval is over, pressing the button will dispense a pill. No pill will be dispensed unless the "dispense" button is pressed. If an individual begins to tamper with the PillSafe, it immediately starts a series of chemical reaction to destroy the pills beyond use in a matter of seconds. What if I push the button too soon? What if I push the button too many times? Will PillSafe destroy my prescription?Pushing the dispense button too soon or too often will not destroy the medication. The medication will only be destroyed if the container is breached, for example by crushing it or cutting it. What kinds of medications would PillSafe be used for?PillSafe is only intended for highly addictive drugs such as those classified under Schedule II by the DEA. There would be no substantial benefit to the public from distributing medications that are not addictive, like insulin, antibiotics, etc. in a PillSafe. What if my pain doesn't follow a regular schedule?If you do not need a pill when the prescribed time interval has passed, you do not have to take a pill. The PillSafe will wait until the "dispense" button is pressed. After dispensing that pill you will have to wait for the interval to pass again. If this interval is too long, talk with your doctor about adjusting your prescription. If the Doctor knows the patient is abusing drugs, why not just stop giving them?It is not always easy for a doctor to tell which patients really need drugs and which are abusers. Many doctors err on the side of caution and do not prescribe drugs to patients that do need them for fear that the patient will abuse them. PillSafe will help give doctors confidence the medications the prescribe are less likely to be abused. Will PillSafe raise the cost of my prescription?The current cost estimate for a PillSafe is around $10. The cost of most Schedule II narcotics is well over $100 for a typical prescription. The added cost is noticeable, but not overwhelming. A re-usable version of PillSafe will help reduce costs further, requiring only a small refundable deposit. Is the pill safe container re-usable?Our engineering team at R.A.M.M., LLC. is working to make the pill safe containers re-usable and cheaper. Is PillSafe safe? What if it goes off accidently?The PillSafe is being designed to destroy the pills quickly and safely. The reaction lasts only a few seconds -- not long enough for the outer container to get hot enough to hurt someone holding it. In the unlikely event that a PillSafe is triggered accidently, a wisp of white smoke may come out of the container. Can I take PillSafe on an airplane?No. Just as the Transportation Security Administration prohibits lighters and aerosols on airplanes, they are likely to prohibit PillSafes aboard airlines. Isn't this just punishing legitimate drug pain sufferers? Won't the drug abusers just find a way to defeat PillSafe?With the reduced likelihood of abuse, doctors will be more likely to prescribe narcotics to patients who really need them. The most noticeable difference for patients who are taking their medications as prescribed by their doctor will be the somewhat larger pill bottle. Shouldn't these drug abusers know better be held accountable? Why are we inconveniencing everyone to stop a few irresponsible individuals?PillSafe will make it more difficult for recreational drug users to abuse prescription narcotics. However, not all prescription drug abusers start out with the intention of taking drugs recreationally. Narcotics can cause changes in body chemistry that lead to addiction, and it is impossible for current medicine to determine who will be affected. Someone who never would have dreamed of abusing drugs can become hooked. Once addicted a person no longer has limited ability to control their actions. PillSafe can help prevent addiction in the first place by not allowing the patient to take the narcotics more frequently than prescribed by the doctor. In the cases where the patient does become addicted, the PillSafe will limit the frequency with which they user can take pills and hopefully serve as an early warning sign if the user attempts to break into it. Isn't this just another example of government interference/monitoring?The DEA already closely monitors who gets Schedule II narcotics. The PillSafe will neither add nor detract from their ability to monitor what patients do. Do you really think PillSafe will stop all drug problems in the world? If a person is addicted to pain killers they will find a way to get them.No security system is perfect. A skilled thief can break into a locked car or a locked house. Bank vaults to do not prevent all theft. Though these security measures are not perfect, we still use them because they have been shown to greatly reduce theft. Likewise, PillSafe cannot prevent all drug abuse. By making prescription drug abuse more difficult, potential abusers will be forced to work harder to get drugs. Can't terrorists just use a bunch of PillSafes to make a bomb?Possibly, but it would be difficult to disassemble the PillSafe without triggering it. It would be far easier for them to use other sources of bomb making raw materials that are readily available. Has the FDA approved the pill safe?R.A.M.M., LLC. will soon be working with the FDA to gain its approval for the pill safe device. What is the potential significance of the PillSafe to prescription drug abuse? Why is prescription drug abuse a major public health concern? How will the PillSafe benefit society?Because prescription drug abuse constitutes a major public health concern, PillSafe will positively effect both the medical field and our communities. By reinventing the process for dispensing potentially addictive medications, the medical field will be better able to use these tools to safely treat patients. The incidence of overdose and misuse would be greatly reduced. In addition, the health care field will be less burdened by prescription drug abuse and the strains its treatment places on the system. Our communities will benefit from PillSafe use as well. If potentially addictive drugs are packaged in the PillSafe at factory sites, it will reduce the effects of crime resulting from illegal drug trafficking will reduce the amount of resources governments need to expend on crime prevention and law enforcement. Fewer arrests reduce costs, lighten heavy court dockets and decrease overcrowded prison populations. The effects of addiction, such as homelessness which currently blights our public health system, will be lessened. In addition to improving our streets and saving substantial sums of money, the lives of those effected by prescription drug abuse may be turned around and they will be able to positively contribute to society. The ultimate goal of the PillSafe is to promote healthier and happier citizens, families, schools, and communities. The PillSafe will reduce abuse of narcotics by legitimate users with a prescription, and reduce the diversion of narcotics from legitimate users to illegitimate users without a prescription. The design of the PillSafe dispenser prevents patients from accessing more of their medication than their prescription allows by using an electronic regulated device to dole out the appropriate dosage at the appropriate time. A unique destruct mechanism will detect tampering. In the event that tampering occurs, any remaining pills will be rapidly destroyed, rendering them impotent, harmless and valueless. PillSafe will prevent the misuse and abuse of dangerous but medically necessary medications. In addition, it will thwart the criminal element that targets prescription drug users by preventing easy access to and distribution of the drugs for illegitimate uses. How will the PillSafe advance the practice of medicine?If the aims of the PillSafe are achieved, clinical practice will be advanced. Currently, the addictive properties of many medications make them a double-edged sword. Their healing and pain relieving qualities are essential in the field of medicine. However, their potential for abuse and misuse create special circumstances surrounding their prescription. Currently, ethically minded physicians may fear dispensing these drugs as freely as they deem necessary. Given a new tool, the PillSafe, these physicians could become more helpful to the patients they serve. They would no longer feel compelled to deprive deserving patients of the appropriate pain management medicine they really need. |
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