Popular Article:

Silver, Larry, M.D. “A Parent’s Guide to the Daytrana Patch.” ADDitude. August 03, 2017. Accessed October 22, 2017. https://www.additudemag.com/a-parents-guide-to-the-daytrana-patch/.

This article takes about a patch that is applied to the skin, stays on all day, and delivers medication for ADHA in increments throughout the day. This has been done before with non-prescription different medications such as ibuprofin. However, it has not been done with a drug of this nature before. This patch helps children, who often have difficulty swallowing pills, get the medication they desperately need. With something like this possible, it is not that far off to think that a patch similar to this, that delivers insulin to diabetics can be accomplished.

Peer Reviewed Sources:

Ali, Fatima Ramzan et al. 2017. “Design, Development, and Optimization of Dexibuprofen Microemulsion Based Transdermal Reservoir Patches for Controlled Drug Delivery.” https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2017/4654958/

This study speaks to the benefits and complications associated with transdermal drug delivery, specifically with ibuprofen. It talks about why transdermal delivery is effective, and how it works. They also mention that it is a method that is becoming increasingly popular, because in some cases people have difficulty swallowing large pills. Some of the complications include the skin’s natural chemical barriers that sometimes make it difficult for the drugs to get through to the bloodstream.

 

Moffatt, Kurtis, Yujing Wang, Thakur Raghu Raj Singh, and Ryan F Donnelly. 2017. “Microneedles for enhanced transdermal and intraocular drug delivery.” Current Opinion In Pharmacology 36, 14-21. MEDLINE Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed October 22, 2017). http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1471489217300826?via%3Dihub

In this study they experimented with using microneedles in transdermal patches. In doing this they eliminate some of the complications with some patches not being able to deliver an effective drug through the skin’s chemical barriers. These patches can be applied easily by a patient, and are effective almost immediately. Patches like this, that use microneedles, are not currently available on the market, but the studies being done on them are very promising so far. If this same delivery method can be used for insulin delivery diabetics will be able to get the medication they need much easier, and those who are unable to inject themselves with their insulin dosages will no longer need help getting the medication they need.