Medical injector with compliance tracking and monitoring

Abstract

A system includes a medicament delivery device and a container configured to receive at least a portion of the medicament delivery device. The medicament delivery device includes an actuator and a first electronic circuit system. The actuator is configured to initiate delivery of a medicament into a body when the actuator is moved from a first position to a second position. The first electronic circuit system is configured to output a first electronic signal when the actuator is moved from the first position to the second position. The container includes a second electronic circuit system configured to receive the first electronic signal. The second electronic circuit system is configured to output a second electronic signal associated with the first electronic signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 manipulating an electronics housing coupled to a medicament delivery device such that a first portion of the electronics housing initiates delivery of a medicament from a medicament container that is at least partially disposed within a container housing of the medicament delivery device via a delivery member and a second portion of the electronics housing changes the state of a switch; and   outputting, from an electronic circuit system, an electronic signal in response to the change of state of the switch, the electronic signal being a short-range radio frequency signal.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the switch includes an electrical conductor and the change of state of the switch includes disrupting the electrical conductor. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the switch includes a sensor and the change of state of the sensor includes changing the state of the sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the medicament delivery device is any one of an autoinjector, a pen injector, a transdermal delivery system, an on-body delivery system, or an inhaler. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the electronic signal is a first electronic signal, the first electronic signal is transmitted to a processor; and   the electronic circuit system includes a pressure sensor configured to transmit a second electronic signal to the processor in response to a pressure exerted on the pressure sensor.   
     
     
         6 . An apparatus, comprising:
 an electronics housing defining an opening within which a proximal end portion of a medicament delivery device is removably received, the electronics housing configured to be matingly coupled to the proximal end portion to remain coupled to the medicament delivery device such that the medicament delivery device is actuated by manipulating the electronics housing; and   an electronic circuit system coupled to the electronics housing, the electronic circuit system including at least one of a switch or a sensor coupled to the electronics housing, a sensory output device and a wireless communications module, the electronic circuit system configured to produce a sensory output via the sensory output device when the switch or the sensor is changed from a first state to a second state, the electronic circuit system configured to receive an actuation signal associated with actuation of the medicament delivery device, the electronic circuit system configured to output, via the wireless communication module, a compliance signal associated with the actuation signal, the compliance signal being a short-range radio frequency signal including a time stamp associated with the actuation of the medicament delivery device.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the sensory output device includes a light output device and the sensory output includes a light output. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the sensory output device includes an audible output device and the sensory output includes an audible output. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the medicament delivery device is any one of an autoinjector, a pen injector, a transdermal delivery system, or an inhaler. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the wireless communications module is implemented at least in part in hardware, the wireless communications module configured to send one or more electronic signals to a variety of communication devices via a wireless communications network. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the wireless communications module is implemented at least in part in hardware and includes at least one of a microprocessor, a transmitter, a receiver, a transceiver, a microchip, a radio chipset, a wireless interface card (WIC), a host controller interface (HCI), a universal asynchronous receiver or transmitter (UART), a power source, a sensor, a transponder, an antenna, a crystal, a circuit board, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), a FireWire, a data uplink, a data downlink, a point-to-point link, a fiber optic link, a storage device, a personal computer card, a docking station, a parallel and/or bit-serial connection, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, a light emitting diode, a speaker, an amplifier, or a radiofrequency identification device (RFID). 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the wireless communications module is implemented at least in part in hardware and includes a single chip containing components used for wireless communication. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the wireless communications module includes a wireless access point. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the wireless communications module is implemented at least in part in hardware and is configured to employ a protocol for sending electronic signals. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the protocol is at least one of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, Wi-Max, 802.XX, HomeRF, any protocol associated with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) transmission. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a medicament delivery device defining an internal volume within which a medicament container assembly can be disposed, the medicament container assembly including at least a medicament container, an actuator, a lock member, and a delivery member, the medicament delivery device including a retainer configured to matingly receive the medicament container assembly within the internal volume, the actuator configured to actuate the medicament container assembly to initiate delivery of a medicament via the delivery member when the medicament delivery device is manipulated, and the lock member configured to limit the actuator when in a lock position and to permit the actuator to actuate when in an unlocked position; and   an electronic circuit system coupled to the medicament delivery device, the electronic circuit system configured to receive identification information from an identification mechanism of the medicament container assembly, the electronic circuit system configured to produce a first output associated with the identification information, the electronic circuit system configured to produce a second output in response to the actuation of the medicament container assembly.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the lock member is removably coupled to a housing of the medicament delivery device to limit movement of the actuator such that the actuator is configured to move from a first position to a second position when the lock member is removed from the housing. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the medicament delivery device is any one of an autoinjector, a pen injector, a transdermal delivery system, or an inhaler.