Data-enriched edible pharmaceuticals (DEEPs): Patients' preferences, perceptions, and acceptability of new dosage forms and their digital aspects – An interview study

BACKGROUND: In the field of pharmaceuticals, there is a shift away from the traditional “one-size-fits-all” concept to a more patient-centered one. A potential approach to obtain personalized medicine is with printed Data-Enriched Edible Pharmaceuticals (DEEPs). DEEPs that are printed in the pattern of QR codes contain both the patient-tailored dose and data that can be used to give patients personalized drug information and combat counterfeit medicines. OBJECTIVES: The study aims to explore patients' preferences, perceptions, and acceptability of DEEPs, and the digital aspects of them. METHODS: Thirteen participants, living in Denmark, were interviewed twice using a semi-structured approach. Interviews were conducted face-to-face or via video calls. The interviews were transcribed, translated, and analyzed using thematic coding analysis. RESULTS: The participants found it useful to participate in the design of their own medicine. The orodispersible nature of DEEPs and the possibility to select color, embedded images, flavors, and physical dimensions of DEEPs were considered beneficial for patients' adherence. Patients' personal preferences, convenience, and aesthetics were the main drivers for their favored design of DEEPs. The acceptability of digital healthcare in connection to DEEPs was found to be related to the participants' level of digital literacy. CONCLUSIONS: The participants generally had a positive attitude towards DEEPs and the digital aspects of them. However, to accept digital healthcare in connection to DEEPs, it should be adaptable and easy to use for everyone. The combination of digital healthcare and on-demand fabricated DEEPs could potentially contribute to higher patient adherence and safety in the future.