Drug dispenser assembly

Abstract

A drug dispenser assembly comprising: a drug dispenser for dispensing a drug in a dispense event; and a skinprint analyser configured to receive a skinprint, preferably a fingerprint, of a user. The skinprint analyser is further configured: to perform a verification test regarding the identity of the skinprint; to conduct a chemical analysis for the presence of a metabolite in the skin-print; and to produce data indicative of results of the verification test and the chemical analysis. The drug dispenser assembly further comprises an actuator configured to actuate a dispense event in the event that the results of one or both of the verification test and the chemical analysis meet one or more predetermined conditions.

1 . A drug dispenser assembly comprising:
 a drug dispenser for dispensing a drug in a dispense event;   a skinprint analyser configured to receive a skinprint, preferably a fingerprint, of a user and configured:
 (a) to perform a verification test regarding the identity of the skinprint; 
 (b) to conduct a chemical analysis for the presence of a metabolite in the skinprint; and 
 (c) to produce data indicative of results of the verification test and the chemical analysis; and 
   an actuator configured to actuate a dispense event in the event that the results of one or both of the verification test and the chemical analysis meet one or more predetermined conditions.   
     
     
         2 . The drug dispenser assembly of  claim 1  wherein the skinprint analyser is configured to accommodate a skinprint substrate for receiving a skinprint of a user. 
     
     
         3 . The drug dispenser assembly of  claim 1  or  claim 2  wherein the skinprint analyser is configured to initiate a supply of a reagent into contact with the skinprint substrate in order to carry out the chemical analysis. 
     
     
         4 . The drug dispenser assembly of any preceding claim wherein the skinprint analyser further comprises a sensor configured to obtain an image of a skinprint received by the skinprint analyser. 
     
     
         5 . The drug dispenser of any preceding claim wherein the skinprint analyser further comprises a radiation source configured to emit light for illuminating the skinprint. 
     
     
         6 . The drug dispenser assembly of  claim 3  or any claim dependent upon  claim 3  wherein the skinprint analyser further comprises a radiation source configured to emit radiation of a frequency selected to excite a fluorescent substance that may be present in the reagent. 
     
     
         7 . The drug dispenser assembly of any preceding claim wherein the skinprint analyser further comprises one or more sensors configured to sense the presence of visible light and/or radiation emitted by a fluorescent substance that may be present in the reagent. 
     
     
         8 . The drug dispenser of any preceding claim further comprising a communication link configured to transmit data indicative of the results of one or both of the verification test and the chemical analysis between the skinprint analyser and the actuator. 
     
     
         9 . The drug dispenser of  claim 8  wherein the communication link is wired or wireless. 
     
     
         10 . The drug dispenser assembly of any preceding claim wherein the actuator is controlled by a controller. 
     
     
         11 . The drug dispenser assembly of  claim 10  wherein the controller is configured to instruct the actuator to actuate a dispense event only if:
 the result of the verification test confirms the expected identity of the user; 
 the result of the chemical analysis confirms that an amount of metabolite in the skinprint is within an expected range; and 
 zero, one or more than one other conditions are met. 
 
     
     
         12 . The drug dispenser assembly of  claim 10  or  claim 11  wherein the controller is configured to send and/or receive data from an external source, such as the internet. 
     
     
         13 . The drug dispenser assembly of  claim 11  wherein the one or more than one other conditions include a predetermined time interval having passed since a previous dispense event. 
     
     
         14 . The drug dispenser assembly of  claim 12 , or  claim 13  when dependent on  claim 12 , wherein the one or more than one other conditions include receiving an approval signal from the external source. 
     
     
         15 . The drug dispenser assembly of any of  claims 11  to  14  wherein the one or more than one other conditions include a user initiated request to the controller. 
     
     
         16 . The drug dispenser assembly of  claim 7  wherein the verification test regarding the identity of the skinprint comprises comparing an image of the skinprint obtained from one or more of the one or more sensors with a stored image of a skinprint. 
     
     
         17 . The drug dispenser assembly of  claim 16  wherein the stored image is stored by the controller or wherein the stored image is obtained from an external source or database. 
     
     
         18 . The drug dispenser assembly of any preceding claim further comprising one or more tamper evident features configured to be triggered if an attempt is made to access the drug dispenser and/or the skinprint analyser. 
     
     
         19 . The drug dispenser assembly of any preceding claim further comprising a coupon dispenser for dispensing a coupon if a set of predetermined conditions is met. 
     
     
         20 . The drug dispenser assembly of any preceding claim further comprising a tag for identifying uniquely the drug dispenser assembly, wherein optionally the tag is an RFID tag. 
     
     
         21 . The drug dispenser assembly of any preceding claim further comprising a data recorder, the data recorder configured to record one or more than one of the following:
 date and time information in respect of a dispense attempt;   date and time information in respect of a dispense event;   total number of dispense attempts; and   total number of dispense events.   
     
     
         22 . The drug dispenser assembly of  claim 21  further comprising a data sending controller for sending data in the data recorder to an external location, preferably via a network such as the internet. 
     
     
         23 . The drug dispenser assembly of  claim 22  wherein the external location is a clinician controlled server. 
     
     
         24 . The drug dispenser assembly of  claim 23  when dependent directly or indirectly on  claim 14  wherein the external source is a clinician controlled server. 
     
     
         25 . The drug dispenser assembly of any preceding claim further comprising an encryption module configured to encrypt data to be stored and/or sent and to de-encrypt received data. 
     
     
         26 . The drug dispenser assembly of any preceding claim wherein the drug dispenser comprises a carousel having a plurality of compartments and wherein a dispense event corresponds to a rotation of the carousel so as to increment one compartment. 
     
     
         27 . A drug dispenser assembly comprising:
 a drug dispenser configured to perform a plurality of drug dispense events, the drug dispenser comprising a plurality of drug storage locations and being configured such that each drug dispense event dispenses from one of the plurality of drug dispense locations;   a skinprint analyser configured to perform a verification test regarding the identity of the skinprint; and   a controller configured to actuate a dispense event in the event that:   (a) the result of the verification test meets a predetermined condition; and   (b) a timing condition in relation to a dosage regime meets a predetermined value.   
     
     
         28 . The drug dispenser assembly of  claim 27  wherein the drug dispenser is configured to increment to an adjacent drug storage location with each drug dispense event. 
     
     
         29 . The drug dispenser assembly of  claim 27  or  claim 28  wherein the drug dispenser comprises a carousel having a plurality of compartments and wherein a dispense event corresponds to a rotation of the carousel so as to increment one compartment. 
     
     
         30 . The drug dispenser of any of  claims 27  or  claim 29  wherein the skinprint analyser further comprises a radiation source configured to emit light for illuminating the skinprint. 
     
     
         31 . The drug dispenser assembly of any of  claims 27  to  30  wherein the skinprint analyser further comprises one or more sensors configured to sense the presence of visible light. 
     
     
         32 . The drug dispenser of any of  claims 27  to  31  further comprising a communication link configured to transmit data indicative of the results of the verification test between the skinprint analyser and the actuator. 
     
     
         33 . The drug dispenser of any of  claims 27  to  32  wherein the communication link is wired or wireless. 
     
     
         34 . The drug dispenser assembly of any of  claims 27  to  33  wherein the actuator is controlled by a controller. 
     
     
         35 . The drug dispenser assembly of  claim 34  wherein the controller is configured to instruct the actuator to actuate a dispense event only if:
 the result of the verification test confirms the expected identity of the user; 
 the timing condition in relation to a dosage regime meets a predetermined value; and 
 zero, one or more than one other conditions are met. 
 
     
     
         36 . The drug dispenser assembly of  claim 34  or  claim 35  wherein the controller is configured to send and/or receive data from an external source, such as the internet. 
     
     
         37 . The drug dispenser assembly of  claim 36  wherein the one or more than one other conditions include receiving an approval signal from the external source. 
     
     
         38 . The drug dispenser assembly of any of  claims 35  to  37  wherein the one or more than one other conditions include a user initiated request to the controller. 
     
     
         39 . The drug dispenser assembly of  claim 31  wherein the verification test regarding the identity of the skinprint comprises comparing an image of the skinprint obtained from one or more of the one or more sensors with a stored image of a skinprint. 
     
     
         40 . The drug dispenser assembly of  claim 39  wherein the stored image is stored by the controller or wherein the stored image is obtained from an external source or database. 
     
     
         41 . The drug dispenser assembly of any of  claims 27  to  40  further comprising one or more tamper evident features configured to be triggered if an attempt is made to access the drug dispenser and/or the skinprint analyser. 
     
     
         42 . The drug dispenser assembly of any of  claims 27  to  41  further comprising a coupon dispenser for dispensing a coupon if a set of predetermined conditions is met. 
     
     
         43 . The drug dispenser assembly of any of  claims 27  to  42  comprising a tag for identifying uniquely the drug dispenser assembly, wherein optionally the tag is an RFID tag. 
     
     
         44 . The drug dispenser assembly of any of  claims 27  to  43  comprising a data recorder, the data recorder configured to record one or more than one of the following:
 date and time information in respect of a dispense attempt; 
 date and time information in respect of a dispense event; 
 total number of dispense attempts; and 
 total number of dispense events. 
 
     
     
         45 . The drug dispenser assembly of  claim 44  further comprising a data sending controller for sending data in the data recorder to an external location, preferably via a network such as the internet. 
     
     
         46 . The drug dispenser assembly of  claim 45  wherein the external location is a clinician controlled server. 
     
     
         47 . The drug dispenser assembly of  claim 46  when dependent directly or indirectly on  claim 36  wherein the external source is a clinician controlled server. 
     
     
         48 . The drug dispenser assembly of any of  claims 27  to  47  further comprising an encryption module configured to encrypt data to be stored and/or sent and to de-encrypt received data. 
     
     
         49 . A method of collecting data regarding a trial of a drug, the method comprising:
 providing a drug dispenser for dispensing a drug in a dispense event;   providing a skinprint analyser configured to receive a skinprint, preferably a fingerprint;   using the skinprint analyser to perform a verification test to generate skinprint identification data;   actuating a dispense event in the event that one or more than one predetermined condition is met, wherein the one or more than one predetermined condition includes one or more predetermined values for skinprint identification data; and   transmitting to a server the skinprint identification data and/or data regarding timing of a dispense event.   
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49  further comprising:
 using the skinprint analyser to conduct a chemical analysis for the presence of a metabolite in the skinprint to produce data indicative of results of the chemical analysis. 
 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 50  wherein the one or more than one predetermined condition includes one or more predetermined values of the data indicative of results of the chemical analysis. 
     
     
         52 . The method of any of  claims 51  further comprising transmitting to the server the data indicative of results of the chemical analysis. 
     
     
         53 . The method of any of  claims 52  further comprising using the server to receive data from a plurality of drug dispensers in order to generate a body of data on which statistical analysis is performed.