New Virtual Pharmacist app promotes well managed medication and enables informed discussions between patients and healthcare providers

Medtech developer, Oceans mHealth have launched a pioneering new app designed to give patients more control over the drugs they’re taking. Whether in treatment, suffering long term chronic illness or just wanting to understand more about their family’s medication, users of the app will have access to comprehensive information regarding a drug’s composition, it’s intended usage, forms and strengths available, and what any potential side effects might be. Like a virtual pharmacist, the app provides clear and concise information on 19.5m global drug generic product names and 1.1m drug ingredients – far more than any health care professional could have a working knowledge of.

The app goes one stage further with the Interactions Checker feature. By providing information on interactions for 12.5 million drugs, it enables patients to have meaningful and informed discussions with their health care providers. Drawing on comprehensive biomedical databases of prescribed and over the counter medications from around the world, the app makes insights on side effects, interactions, and their severity, readily accessible in the app at any time wherever you are. It can also help patients avoid the misery, suffering, and on occasion, life threatening impact of negative drug interactions for themselves and their families. According to a study published by the Chicago Tribune last year, 52% of pharmacies trialled failed to mention important drug interactions putting consumers at risk and indicating a significant failing by the industry at large. With increasing dependency on multiple drug use and time-short pharmacists under pressure to hit targets the implications of this are very serious. Whilst pharmacies have since vowed to remedy the situation, consumers can take control of their own medication by using the app and enjoying peace of mind regarding their medication.

For those who have long term conditions such as asthma, cancer, diabetes, PTSD, mental health, the app can help manage the illness more effectively with the Drugs Diary feature; a particularly beneficial feature for those patients on complicated, potentially confusing, drug regimens. When this type of illness is managed efficiently it cuts down on the need for hospital treatment and additional drugs to be taken so use of this app can have far reaching benefits. People undergoing treatment such as chemotherapy can also gain a sense of control empowered by an understanding of what drugs they’re being administered, what their function is and what to expect. At a very difficult time, a little technology unlocking the knowledge a patient needs can make all the difference.

For travellers, the Drugs Match feature in the app provides generic and local equivalent drugs in any of 110+ countries, enabling properly managed medication wherever and whenever it is needed - essential for frequent flyers, holiday makers, servicemen and women, business travellers and those seeing the world in their gap year! For those moving overseas, using the app can take the worry out of setting up their own and their family’s medication in their new country.

With an aging population and America’s tally of people aged over 65 set to more than double to over 98 million by 2060*, many people have found themselves caring for elderly relatives who are no longer able to manage their own medication. This can be highly stressful for all involved and easily lead to drugs being incorrectly administered; with the wrong doses or timings or both leading to exacerbated symptoms and unnecessary illness. The app will enable carers to manage their dependants’ drugs schedule simply and effectively.

Better informed consumers, patients and carers can have more meaningful conversations with their healthcare providers and manage their own and their dependants’ medication more effectively which is great news all round.

The Oceans mHealth app is now available from the Apple App Store and Google Play priced $1.99 USD

About the Oceans mHealth app

The Oceans mHealth app is developed for patient safety, patient empowerment, drug safety and improving consumer knowledge. The app is targeted at the US market and then will be rolled out globally. Drug information is currently sourced from a US Data set with other countries’ data being added in the near future.

With Adverse Drug Reactions on the rise across hospitals, the consumer / patient needs to be more informed:

“…. a review of patients admitted to medical wards for adverse drug reactions, 57% of these adverse drug reactions were not recognized by the attending physician at the time of admission”.


"In fact, 18.6% of all drugs prescribed prior to admission were contraindicated"

"A recent review of studies concerning the causes of people going to hospital emergency rooms found that as many as 28% of all emergency department visits were adverse drug reactions and inappropriate prescriptions. Of all of the drug-related visits, the authors found that 70% were preventable"

"In addition to the 1.5 million people a year who are admitted to the hospital because of adverse drug reactions, an additional three-quarters of a million people a year develop an adverse reaction after they are hospitalized. According to national projections based on a study involving adverse drug reactions developing in patients in the hospital, 770,000 additional patients a year—more than 2,000 patients a day—suffer an adverse event caused by drugs once they are admitted"

John Ireland
Oceans mHealth Limited,
10 Jesus Lane, Cambridge, CB5 8BA,
United Kingdom

This release was published on openPR.