Philips develops 8216;intelligent pill8217;

Delivering drugs to treat digestive tract disorders such as Crohn8217;s disease directly to the location of the disease means doses can be lower, reducing side effects, Philips said.

While capsules containing miniature cameras are already used as diagnostic tools, those lack the ability to deliver drugs, Philips said.

The 8220;iPill8221; can also measure the local temperature and report it wirelessly to an external receiver.

The company plans to present the 8220;iPill8221; at the annual meeting of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists AAPS in Atlanta this month.

The iPill is a prototype but suitable for serial manufacturing, Philips said.