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Washington: Researchers at MIT and Brigham and Womens Hospital have created a drug-delivering gel that is much easier to swallow and could be used to administer a variety of different kinds of drugs.
The gels, made from plant-based oils such as sesame oil, can be prepared with a variety of textures, from a thickened beverage to a yogurt-like substance. The gels are stable without refrigeration, which could make them easier to get to children in developing nations, but they could also be beneficial for children anywhere, the researchers say. They could also help adults who have difficulty swallowing pills, such as older people or people who have suffered a stroke.
"This platform will change our capacity for what we can do for kids, and also for adults who have difficulty receiving medication. Given the simplicity of the system and its low cost, it could have a tremendous impact on making it easier for patients to take medications," says the Karl van Tassel Career Development Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at MIT, Giovanni Traverso a gastroenterologist at Brigham and Womens Hospital, and the senior author of the study.
With drugs that are only available as pills, health care providers may try to dissolve them in water for children to drink, but that also requires a clean water supply, and the dosages may be difficult to get right if the pills are meant for adults.