Every day, more than 90 Americans die from an opioid overdose, according to reports by the CDC. Easy accessibility to prescription drugs is an on-going epidemic. Now there's a new device, designed to put the lid on opioid abuse.
It's called TimerCap and the name says it all.
"It's an adherence tool. A third of the patients are not adhering to their medicine," said Sarah Edington, a CVS pharmacist.
The modified lid has a built-in LCD timer like a stopwatch.
Pharmacists like Edington won't go so-far as to say it prevents prescription drug abuse, but say monitoring medication is critical.
"Being non-adherant, it can have deadly side-effects," she said.
It's tamper-resistant so you know when to take your next dose. And you'll even know if someone has opened your medication.
"It tells you, like for instance, it's been 22-seconds since the last time I opened it," Edington said.
The battery is designed to operate the cap so it will last at least one-year in continuous operation or even longer in "standby mode."
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that more than 75 percent of opioid users got pills from friends and relatives.
The makers of TimerCap insist this added level of protection prevents recreational use and sell the product both in-stores and online.
