There are many things that help human beings in standing out from others, but if we have to pick the most notable one of them all, it will be the way we are always trying to get better. You see, when you are pursuing growth on a rather consistent basis, you eventually end up making yourself eligible for some significant milestones. Talk about the milestones we have stumbled upon so far, each one has notably brought a unique value to our journey. However, whatever their nature or the overall dynamic might be, we are still yet to see anything as significant as technology. Technology’s emergence was pivotal beyond all limitations, and we say this because of the manner in which it approached everything. While the creation had appeared on the scene as nothing more than a guide, it quickly became the ultimate centerpiece. The stated reality, in turn, would go on to produce a host of beneficiaries, and a big one among them will be our healthcare sector. The now famous linkup between healthcare and technology came at a time when the former was literally struggling with a structure that was obsolete from top to bottom. By introducing various ingenious methods, the linkup was able to construct a whole new identity for the sector. In fact, even after this substantial makeover, it will continue adding to the medical horizons. A recent MIT development seems like one such addition.
The researching teams at MIT and Brigham and Women Hospital have successfully collaborated to develop a series of oil-based gels, which are designed for people who face difficulties in swallowing drugs orally. Known as oleogels, these gels can be reprogrammed to take up hugely different textures, therefore making them suitable in a variety of cases. According to certain reports, the new development is predominantly useful for populations living in low-resource regions, as it doesn’t require any refrigeration whatsoever or even a sustainable supply of clean water. Going back to not needing a supply of clean water, the gels can also dissolve hydrophobic drugs, which are generally hard to dissolve.
“That approach gave us the capacity to deliver very hydrophobic drugs that cannot be delivered through water-based systems,” said Ameya Kirtane, a researcher who developed the new technology. “It also allowed us to make these formulations with a really wide range of textures.”
The researchers have already tested the gels to gauge the best iterations, and if available details are to be believed, they found that the ones made from sesame oil were actually the most efficient due to their nutty flavor. Beyond that, gels with a more neutral flavor such as cottonseed oil also showed a great deal of promise.
“This platform will change our capacity for what we can do for kids, and also for adults who have difficulty receiving medication,” said Giovanni Traverso, another researcher involved in the study. “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.”
