"The Helping Hand" tablet dispenser device wins GOOD DESIGN award 2005
Bang & Olufsen Medicom's Helping Hand scoops another international award
Copenhagen, Denmark (January 3, 2006)
Bang & Olufsen Medicom, a leading supplier of drug delivery device solutions for the Pharmaceutical industry, has announced that it has received yet another design prize - the prestigious American “GOOD DESIGN” Award 2005. 'The Helping Hand' is an innovative electronic tablet dispenser device that helps patients remember to take and track their prescribed medication. The design was created by Bang & Olufsen Medicom and is curved like the palm of a hand, hence the name. The winners were announced at a ceremony this New Year’s Eve at the Chicago Anthenaeum Museum.
Founded in 1950, GOOD DESIGN is the world's oldest and most celebrated awards programme that bestows international recognition upon the best international designs. The Helping Hand has been recognised in the “Medical Equipment” category for advancing new and innovative product concepts, its originality and consumer-friendly design.
Welcoming the award on behalf of Bang & Olufsen Medicom is Paul Erik Fabricius, Manager Concept Development; “We are delighted that the Helping Hand has been recognised by such a well respected design award. The device has already helped thousands of patients worldwide in remembering to take and track their medication from Osteoporosis patients in Spain to patients with memory disorders from various corners of the world.”
Easy- to-use for all
The Helping Hand device is compatible with a blister card for holding tablets. The patient simply inserts the blister card into the open end of the device, and activates the memory function. Once activated, the device will notify the user via audio and visual signals when it is time for their medication. In addition, the device registers each time the blister pack is removed to take a tablet and records the compliance rate of the patient.
The unique design is discrete, user-friendly and its sturdy shell helps protects the tablets. The Helping Hand is fully customisable for pharmaceutical clients and can be adapted to various blister card sizes and programmed to meet a prescription schedule. The device is also being developed in several formats to assist a quick and easy data upload for physicians, patients and to support clinical trial evaluations.
The Helping Hand has also been recognised by several other Global and Danish award bodies including; iF Design Award 2005 (April 2005 Product Design award winner), in addition it was a top nominee for the INDEX award in September 2005 and in 2004 was a nominee for the D.I.D. award (Danish Innovation and Design award).
Helping Patients stay on track with their medication
Bang & Olufsen Medicom is dedicated to providing technical solutions for patients to motivate and reward them to follow their prescribed course of treatment. Patients forgetting to take or discontinuing their treatment has been well documented; studies show that on average every second tablet is not taken and the majority of these patients drop out of their treatment too early[i].
The behaviour of patients failing to follow their prescribed course of treatment by a physician is known as “non-compliance” and is very costly both on a personal and financial level for patients and society in general. Non-compliance has been related to thousands of preventable hospital admissions, treatment failures and in extreme cases – death. It is estimated to accounts for direct and indirect financial costs of approximately $14 billion annually in the US alone; including $9.4 billion in direct costs and $4.6 billion in indirect costs (missed school and work days)[ii] .
About the Good Design Award
The GOOD DESIGN Award publicly acknowledges the world's most prestigious industrial design firms and manufacturers in over 20 countries. More information on the award:
http://www.chi-athenaeum.org/gdesign/winners05.htm#choose
About Bang & Olufsen Medicom
Bang & Olufsen Medicom designs, manufactures and co-markets intelligent device solutions that empower patients to manage more effectively their drug treatment regimes. Medicom offers high quality, customised drug delivery devices to Pharmaceutical and Healthcare partners including tablet dispensers, injection accessories, inhalers and sensor based technology. For more information you can visit our web site.
Response to questions on where you can purchase The Helping Hand.
For more information/requests for interviews contact: Treasa Devine, PR Manager, Bang & Olufsen Medicom +45 6155 5961 (mobile) or tde@bang-olufsen.dk
[i] Morris LS et al.: Patient-compliance- an overview.J Clin.Pharm. Ther1992; 17:283-95
[ii] National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Morbidity and Mortality: 2002 Chart Book on Cardiovascular, Lung, and Blood Diseases.