The myLiquitab® Homecare System is an innovative technology that converts solid dose pills and tablets into a flavoured liquid of your choice, making medications easier to consume.
The myLiquitab Homecare System includes the Homecare Unit and the Homecare Pack. This pack contains 30 beakers, which can be used up to four times each; a stirring paddle to disperse medications in the unit; and a scoop for myLiquitab flavours. The company has developed a range of flavours that are specifically formulated to mask the bitter taste of medications.
To operate the system, solid dose medications are placed in the myLiquitab beaker with 50ml of water and 6g of myLiquitab flavouring. The beaker is then placed inside the myLiquitab Homecare Unit, the lid is closed and the unit is started. When the cycle is complete, an alarm sounds and when the medications are fully dispersed the liquid is ready to be consumed.
Converting solid-dose medications into liquid
The myLiquitab® Homecare System is designed to help the many millions of people worldwide that have difficulties swallowing solid dose medications.
Difficulties swallowing (dysphagia) affects around 30% of people aged 65 years and older, and more than 60% of nursing home residents. It is reported that in the US 60,000 people die from dysphagia each year.
In addition, it is estimated that the number of people worldwide aged 65 and older will grow from 528 million in 2010 to around 1.47 billion in 2050. People in that age group currently use between 30% and 50% of prescriptions, which is predicted to rise to between 60% and 90% by 2050.
Dispensing solutions to address non-compliance
The myLiquitab Homecare System is an innovative technology compared with the traditional approach of crushing medications.
With crushing, solid medications are manually broken down with a mortar and pestle and then mixed with jam to mask the taste. Administering medications with this time-consuming process often results in non-compliance, where a large percentage of the active ingredients are often lost in the process.
Research with Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre at Monash University concluded that with manual crushing the loss of active ingredients can be anywhere between 10% and 70% loss. With myliquitab, there is little loss, with trials producing results of more than 98% delivery of active ingredients.
Crushing tablets requires dexterity and creates variable outcomes. Often those requiring the medicine do not ingest it, as crushed medications do not taste very palatable.
In addition, crushed medications may not be fine enough for the recipient to swallow easily, and if larger pieces are not swallowed it is difficult to assess what proportion of active ingredients was actually consumed.
Flavouring with no effect on pharmacokinetics
The flavouring has no effect on the efficacy on the medication. The myLiquitab flavouring is specifically formulated to mask the taste of bitter medications and has been tested not to change the pharmacokinetics of medications.
myLiquitab removes potential of cross-contamination between users with our proprietary disposable, recyclable beakers.
myLiquitab disperses medication into a liquid form and removes the need to deal with gritty, unpleasant-tasting pills and tablets. It is suitable for use by individuals of all ages, and the unit is designed to service six people consuming up to six doses per day each. The myLiquitab Homecare Pack provides enough flavouring and beakers for an individual for one month’s use, with three servings a day.
About myLiquitab
Myliquitab is designed to help families meet their medical needs. The technology also has applications in healthcare facilities such as nursing homes, retirement villages, dementia facilities and childcare clinics with each unit serving up to six people, with six servings a day.
Converting pills and tablets into liquid form with myLiquitab has increased delivery of active ingredients to the user, compared with traditional crushing techniques. The technology creates a very fine particle size making it safer for those who are on peg feeds. The myLiquitab technology can deliver a liquid medication to the user at virtually the same cost as a tablet or pill and far more cost-effectively than pharmaceutically prepared liquid medications.
myLiquitab is entering arrangements with distributors in various jurisdictions as it releases its technology globally.
Certain medications such as enteric-coated, sustained-release and slow-release tablets are not suitable for use in the myLiquitab Homecare Unit. Users should seek medical advice from a doctor or pharmacist to ensure their medications are suitable.