Drugs company Sequella and the University of Maryland in Baltimore are
patenting a system to help fight tuberculosis (W0 00/37114). The WHO warns that
TB bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics because patients do not finish
the course of treatment. The new process mixes the drug with a fluorescent
dye鈥攆luorescein, indocyanin green or rhodamine. This causes a slight
fluorescence when the skin is illuminated. Patients wear a bracelet which shines
light at the skin. A sensor signals 鈥淥K鈥 on a small display if it detects
fluorescence. Doctors only have to glance at it to know if a patient has taken
the drug.
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