Researchers developed a pill that releases medication for *two weeks* so you’ll never forget to take your medicine again

We’ve all been there: You forget to take your antibiotic. It’s not the best thing, but also not a big deal. Except, it is in those situations when regular doses are totally integral to getting better. That’s where an exciting new development in medicine comes in: A drug capsule that releases doses for two weeks.

This could be an effective method of administering medicine to those with HIV, among other illnesses. Plus, this could be a game changer for those of us who have forgotten to take our birth control one or twice (or countless times).

According to Business Insider, a team of researchers at MIT and Brigham and Women’s Hospital created a revolutionary drug capsule. The capsule is star-shaped, to provide a long-term delivery method. This way, patients don’t have to constantly remember to take medication.

The team, led by Dr. Giovanni Traverso and Dr. Robert Langer, developed the capsule, which actually sits in a patient’s stomach for two weeks. During that time, it releases medicine slowly. The medicine is stored in its six little limbs.

Now, you’re probably wondering how you swallow a star-shaped drug capsule. The good news is, the limbs of the capsule fold right up. So, it’s basically like swallowing a normal pill.

Traverso told Digital Trends: “The optimal shape and configuration of the dosage form was selected based on its performance based on ease of encapsulation, manufacturability, gastric stability and drug release properties. Other shapes were tested, but the star proved to be the winner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfjwKUxenuA?feature=oembed

The way the capsule works is pretty cool: Once a patient swallows the pill, it enters the stomach. There, the organ’s acids dissolve the outside layer, so the limbs unfold. Because of its size and shape, it won’t be digested further – until the desired time period.

This drug capsule could be revolutionary for patients who deal with HIV, epilepsy, and diabetes, among other issues. And yeah, it could even make taking The Pill easier. We can definitely get behind all of that.