Low-cost iontophoresis device for transdermal drug delivery

Iontophoresis for the localised delivery of drugs through skin or for non-invasive, remote monitoring of patients could allow a new generation of medical devices to be developed for low-cost healthcare. Iontophoresis systems in existence today are either bulky or too expensive for world markets. Accordingly, a low-cost, low-power, miniature and programmable iontophoresis device was developed and evaluated. It can provide a range of current (0.8 -120 μA) of various signal waveforms (DC, pulsed DC, bipolar DC and pulsed bipolar DC) of the type required for iontophoresis. Evaluation showed that this device provides for precise regulation of the magnitude and waveform of a current. The current can be maintained over a wide range of impedance, important for in vivo use, and is independent of the battery voltage.