Patent ID: 7212853

Claim:
An electrotransport device for in vivo delivery of a charged agent through a body at surface at a higher electrotransport agent delivery efficiency (E) defined by the agent delivery rate per unit of applied current; the device ( 10 ) having a donor reservoir ( 26 , 46 ) containing the charged agent and having a delivery area, and having a source of electrical power ( 32 ) and a current controller ( 19 , 40 ), the device ( 10 ) being characterized by: the current controller ( 19 , 40 ) being adapted to provide an applied pulsing DC current having a periodic current waveform, a pulsing frequency, and a duty cycle, the pulsing current applied to the reservoir ( 26 , 46 ) and to the body surface, wherein an applied current density is defined by the applied pulsing current divided by the delivery area, and wherein a higher electrotransport agent delivery efficiency (E) state is induced in the body surface when the applied current density is greater than or equal to a critical current density level (I c ) and the applied pulsing current is applied for greater than or equal to a critical time period (t c ).