NXP Fostering Patient Empowerment Through NFC-Enabled Self-Care

Depending on the use case, patients may need to install a mobile app or use existing internet connectivity by tapping their smartphone to the device to launch a website that provides digital guidance. With a single tap, patients can check product authenticity, receive step-by-step application guidance, or maintain a digital regimen diary based on automated timestamps. A mobile app can perform simple data-processing tasks to display real-time information to the patient, or data can be sent to the cloud for more complex processing and analysis.

NFC can automate communication between a reusable drug-delivery device and a disposable drug container, such as a cartridge or pre-filled syringe. The device, equipped with an NFC reader, communicates directly with a passive NFC tag on the container. This NFC communication can verify the originality of the consumable, check the drug's expiration date, confirm the drug type and batch number, and read parameters that might require adjusting device settings. Additionally, the NFC reader can register dosage events, preventing consumable reuse. A delivery device can also provide sensor-based feedback to ensure medications are handled and dosed correctly in real time.

Studies from the World Health Organization (WHO) and others reveal that 50% of patients with chronic diseases are non-adherent to treatments, often missing doses, taking the wrong dose, or stopping treatment altogether. This is frequently due to a drug’s negative side effects, dose frequency, over-/under-dosing, or the usability of the delivery device. Connected devices can help patients better manage their conditions by providing immediate feedback during administration. Automated features can effortlessly capture key information such as injection dose, date, and time. Additionally, notifications can remind patients when their next dose is due or alert them when doses are missed. Collected data can be uploaded to a cloud-hosted service for complex data processing and shared with healthcare systems to keep clinicians informed.

It’s an unfortunate fact that counterfeit, adulterated, off-label, and diverted products have become increasingly widespread, to the point that the WHO describes counterfeits as “one of the urgent healthcare challenges of the decade.”

To reassure patients concerned about the security of their drug-delivery systems and prevent the use of wrong or fake products, manufacturers can implement authentication and authorization processes. Authentication verifies that a device or its medication is genuine, securing access to applications or data.

While identification validates serial numbers using online allowlists, NFC-based authentication performs enhanced checks based on an item’s NFC tag data and credentials, using secure cryptographic functions. Authorization can further verify attributes of each tag, ensuring rightful access to user data or the delivery system.