Sunday Times 2
Skin implant replaces the Pill
For many women, taking the contraceptive pill is one in a long list of things to remember every day.
But scientists have invented an electronic chip that when slipped under the skin releases daily doses of contraceptive, freeing a woman from the need to remember to take the pill.
Once in place, the postage stamp-sized device works for up to 16 years – roughly half a woman’s reproductive life. In contrast, the various contraceptive implants that are already on the market only last for up to five years. Finally, in a development that sounds like science fiction, the chip comes with a remote control that allows the woman to simply turn it off if she decides to try for a family.
When she needs contraception again, she can turn it back on just as easily.
In contrast, existing devices such as coils cannot be deactivated. Instead, they have to be removed – a process that can be painful and is only done at a clinic.
The device, which could be on the market by 2018, consists of a case contains the chip, a battery and electronics for drug release and for wireless communication to the remote control.
The chip contains a series of tiny wells, each packed with a daily dose of levonorgestrel, a hormone widely used in existing contraceptives. Each well is covered with an ultra-thin titanium and platinum seal that prevents the drug from being released until needed. At a pre-programmed release time, a small electrical current melts the metal cap on a single well, releasing the contraceptive into the bloodstream.
The remote control can be used to over-ride the programme when needed. The system’s co-inventor is Robert Langer, one of the world’s top scientists.
© Daily Mail, London