MIT researchers develop gel to make pills easier to swallow
CAMBRIDGE - A tough pill to swallow could soon be a little easier to get down, thanks to local researchers.
Scientists at MIT and Brigham and Women's Hospital have developed a gel that can be mixed into medicine to make it easier to swallow.
The gel is made of plant-based oils and doesn't have to be refrigerated. The hope is that it can one day be used to help children and adults who have trouble swallowing pills.
"This platform will change our capacity for what we can do for kids, and also for adults who have difficulty receiving medication," senior study author Giovanni Traverso said in a statement. "Given the simplicity of the system and its low cost, it could have a tremendous impact on making it easier for patients to take medications."
The FDA has given its approval for a clinical trial of the gel to start at Brigham and Women's within the next few months.