Missed an antibiotic dose? This app will alert you

A startup, incubated in the state government undertaking Bangalore Bioinnovation Centre (BBC), has co-developed a platform that would ensure patients' adherence to antibiotic treatment, and thus help tackle the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

AMR occurs when microbes mutate and no longer respond to drugs, making infections difficult or impossible to treat. It is estimated to cause around seven lakh deaths globally now, and according to the UN's projections, the number would touch one crore by 2050.

A major reason for bacteria developing resistance is patients' low adherence to antibiotic treatment — not taking the full course, missing doses, etc. The app aims to address this, to increase the lifespan of existing antibiotics.

The platform, named AMRx, was co-developed by the startup Anti Microbial Resistance Action Centre of Excellence (AM-RACE) incubated in BBC. AMRx was created as a component under the VaidyaRx app developed last year by SicureMi Healthcare Technology Pvt Ltd incubated in IIT Delhi.

The app connects doctors, pharmacists and patients on a single platform. When a doctor prescribes an antibiotic, pharmacists nearby will get an alert and the patient will also get an alert about shops where the medicine is available.

Based on the QR code in the patient's app, the pharmacist will dispense the full set of antibiotics, which ensures the patient doesn't purchase smaller quantities. The doctor will get an alert about the purchase too.

Besides, the app educates patients on why, how and for how long the antibiotic should be taken. It also gives them alerts for taking the medicine.

"Based on patient's consent, the doctor can see their records. He can see if the patient has taken the full course, and can advise him," says Dr Maneesh Paul who heads AM-RACE.

VaidyaRx platform has been piloted in seven departments of AIIMS Bhopal, says Dr Paul. Based on the results, the Madhya Pradesh government has agreed to fund the pilot project in four government medical colleges.

Next, AM-RACE aims to integrate a wastewater surveillance component into AMRx, which will show which antibiotics are becoming less effective against certain bacteria.