Start a new model of medical services! Use NFC technology to improve patients’ self-care capabilities

Near Field Communication (NFC) technology is a short-range wireless technology that can be integrated with mechanical equipment to provide patients with a safe and convenient self-care experience. For example, if the device is purely mechanical, you can take advantage of passive or connected NFC tags that absorb energy from the NFC field emitted by the reader (such as a smartphone), allowing the device to function without the need for other electronic components or batteries. Connectivity features. If the device already has electronics and power, an NFC reader front end or NFC controller can be added to the design.

Depending on the usage scenario, patients may need to install a mobile app, or they may be able to directly leverage an existing network connection (just swipe the device with their smartphone) to open a website that provides digital guidance. With just one swipe, patients can do things like verify that a product is authentic, get step-by-step usage instructions, or maintain digital medical records based on automatically recorded timestamps. Mobile apps can perform simple data processing tasks, present real-time information to patients, or upload data to the cloud for more in-depth processing and analysis.

NFC technology enables automatic communication between reusable drug delivery devices and disposable drug containers such as pill boxes or prefilled syringes. In this case, the NFC reader built into the device communicates directly with passive NFC tags inside and outside the container.

NFC communication can be used to verify that consumables are genuine, check the expiration date of medications, confirm the type and batch of medication, or read parameters that may affect device settings. In addition, NFC readers can record medication events, thereby avoiding the reuse of consumables. Drug delivery devices can even provide sensor-based feedback to monitor in real time whether the medication is being handled and dosed correctly.

Research from the World Health Organization (WHO) and other institutions shows that 50% of patients with chronic diseases do not follow medical advice during treatment. They forget to take medicine, take the wrong dose or interrupt treatment. This is often due to side effects of the drug, frequency of dosing, over- or under-dosing, or inconvenience of the dosing device.

By connecting devices, patients can manage their conditions more effectively while receiving timely feedback to provide guidance on correct medication use. They can take advantage of automated features that eliminate the need to laboriously record critical information such as dose, date and time of injection. In addition, notifications can remind patients when they need to take their medication and/or alert patients when they miss a dose. The collected data can also be uploaded to cloud services for more in-depth data processing, and can be shared with existing medical systems to keep the patient's doctor informed of the patient's condition.

In today’s world, counterfeit, adulterated, substandard and smuggled products are increasingly prevalent, with the World Health Organization (WHO) even calling counterfeiting “one of the most pressing medical challenges of this decade”.

To reassure patients who have concerns about the safety of dosing combination systems and prevent the use of substandard or counterfeit products, manufacturers can adopt identity verification and authorization processes.

Authentication refers to verifying that a device or drug is authentic and protecting access to applications or data. Identification verifies serial numbers via an online whitelist, while NFC-based authentication uses a password or a secure cryptographic function for a more advanced check based on the item's NFC tag data and credentials. Authorization can further check the properties of each tag, for example to ensure that the user has legal access to their own data or drug delivery system.

NXP provides matching reader and tag IC solutions to help customers design advanced integrated systems to improve functionality, interoperability and performance.

Our NFC authentication tags feature standards-compliant AES-128 encryption. Our wide range of tags, including NTAG 424 DNA and NTAG 22x DNA (ISO14443 / Type 2 or 4 tags) and ICODE DNA (ISO15693 / Type 5 tags), can be selected according to different operating distances and specifications. Some tags support dynamic network-based NFC message verification, which is verified every time the NFC phone reads it, effectively preventing large-scale cloning. Some tags support mutual authentication mechanisms to ensure that only authenticated readers can access sensitive tag data, preventing unauthorized access. Some tags also feature enhanced status awareness, measuring things like on indication, fill level, or completion of a mechanical function, even without the need for batteries.

Our NTAG 5 (ISO15693/T5T) connected NFC tags are versatile devices that can be used in or installed on systems with electrical system interfaces to interface with external sensors or microcontrollers. In medical devices, our connected labels can help ensure medications are kept at the correct storage temperature or can control pressure in inhaled devices. They also feature access control to protect the security of memory data.

All these NFC tags feature NXP's latest single-chip NFC microcontroller, the PN7642 , which offers a high level of integration and a small footprint for adding NFC reader functionality, processing and cryptographic security, even in small drug delivery devices. Can achieve.

Connectivity will continue to play an important role in improving the quality of care for patients, especially those with chronic conditions. Leveraging high-quality, reliable products and an extensive partner network, NXP has become a key technology provider in connected drug delivery devices.