Medical science has reached new peaks in the recent decade. However, in these challenging times, the healthcare space is developing new-age solutions to combat world problems and overcome them. World leaders aid the healthcare bodies to assist in developing new drugs for the public welfare. Among these crises, the opioid epidemic is one of the significant emergencies the world is facing. Opioid Epidemic Opioids are compounds extracted from poppy plants’ seeds that interact with the opioid receptors in the brain. Most commonly used for pain treatment and therapy, opioids are a compound in morphine, tramadol, heroin, methadone and fentanyl compositions. However, prescription drug use is highly prevalent in the world, leading to a significant drug addiction problem. Non-medical misuse of opioids leads to various health issues like respiratory problems, organ failure, and overdoses can lead to death. More than half a million people worldwide succumb to opioid addiction every year. Though Naloxone can prevent death due to an opioid overdose, hardly 10% of people suffering from the addiction get it. Vivera’s Inspiration to combat prescription drug abuse Vivera Pharmaceuticals CEO, Paul Edalat, shared his inspiration for developing such software. Edalat’s brother was suffering from an aggressive form of Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a severe type of cancer. His prescription drugs included opioids to help him manage the pain. However, such high doses of opioids soon turned into addictions; towards the end, he could not function without them. Edalat’s brother ultimately lost his battle with cancer and addiction, making Edalat realize the severity of prescription drug abuse. ZICOH Following his harrowing past with prescription drug abuse, Vivera Pharmaceuticals team worked to successfully develop ZICOH – an electronic device that delivers medications in prescribed and controlled doses. ZICOH revolutionized the way we see medication dosage with its intelligent software. ZICOH is patented and works with ZICOH Connect. It is a synchronized software that collects, aggregates and dispenses prescribed data so that patients have an idea of how much medication they are taking. The device actively helps in keeping a check on the drug dosage, aiding patients in maintaining the prescribed amount for consumption. ZICOH, being the first of its kind, can successfully stop addiction from the state it needs to be controlled. With a known dosage, patients can keep track of the opioids preventing the addiction stage. Challenges The healthcare industry is a challenging area to begin with. Collecting and analyzing medical data while adhering to the prescription for individual patients in accordance with their health issues needs great precision. The healthcare industry is resistant to change, sticking to the tried and tested medicines, often overlooking the benefits of new compositions. Therefore, commercializing a product that is going to block one of the major global issues is a significant challenge for the team. However, with the latest technology and an invested workforce, Edalat’s team is reaching new heights with this life-saving technology. Conclusion Vivera Pharmaceuticals believes in giving back to society. They are vocal about this and work dedicatedly to solve the issues faced by the people. Working with medical providers and organizations, Vivera works to help vulnerable communities worldwide with their cutting-edge software.
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