The device is not a new therapy. It's an electronic gadget that verbally reminds patients burdened with a complex schedule of anti-AIDS medications when to take pills and what side effects to watch out for. Now we see that a little electronic help can substantially improve compliance. The scientists presented early study results at last month's Conference on Retrovirus and Opportunistic Infections held in Chicago. When it's time for medicine, DMAS beeps and a light flashes.
Patients push a second button when they've taken the medicine.
Forget any of these steps and DMAS continues to beep periodically for several hours. The system's software adds messages about possible side effects or how to offset them. At the patient's next clinic visit, staff download the compliance information, which appears as a printout for doctor and patient to discuss. The speed of response allows physicians to see if patients' reaction time is slowing as the disease progresses and gives a quick check on HIV's spread into the brain. The DMAS is an investigational device produced outside Hopkins.