Dosage limiting medication dispensing method and apparatus

1 . A method for controlled release of medication comprising the steps of:

providing a dispenser for regulating the release of medication according to designated instructions and for identifying instances where the dispenser has been tampered with in connection with attempts to release additional medication above the designated instructions.

2 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the designated instructions comprises a prescription.

3 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of identifying instances where the dispenser has been tampered with comprises a visual indication.

4 . A method for regulating the dispensing of medication comprising the steps of:

receiving a prescription for medication from a first health care professional, with the prescription designating requirements as to patient use of the medication; and

receiving medication from a second health care professional, with the medication being provided in a dispenser that regulates the release of medication in accordance with requirements of the prescription and which visually displays when there has been tampering in accordance with attempts to obtain additional medication beyond the requirements of the prescription.

5 . A method according to claim 4 , further comprising the step of:

permitting the dispenser to be refilled with additional medication as may be allowed in accordance with the prescription when there is no visual indication of tampering, and

denying the dispenser to be refilled when there is visual indication of tampering.

6 . A dispenser for abusable medication, the dispenser comprising means for releasing a single dosage of medication at preselected time intervals, and for resisting releasing additional medication.

7 . The dispenser according to claim 6 , further comprising a timer operatively connected to the means for releasing a single dosage of medication at preselected time intervals.

8 . The dispenser according to claim 6 , further comprising a container in communication with the means for releasing a single dosage of medication at preselected time intervals, the container being structured to store the medication.

9 . The dispenser according to claim 7 , wherein the dispenser comprises:

a first disk defining a plurality of dosage receptacles therein;

a second disk rotatably secured to the first disk, the second disk defining an opening therein corresponding to a single dosage receptacle; and

the means for releasing a single dosage of medication at preselected time intervals are selected from the group consisting of:

means for rotating the second disk with respect to the first disk at a predetermined rotational speed;

means for rotating the second disk with respect to the first disk at predetermined time intervals; and

means for permitting the rotation of the second disk so that the opening in the second disk is indexed from one dosage receptacle to another dosage receptacle at predetermined time intervals.

10 . The dispenser according to claim 6 , wherein the means for rotating the second disk with respect to the first disk include a motor.

11 . The dispenser according to claim 10 , wherein the motor is structured to rotate the second disk at a predetermined rate so that each dosage receptacle is exposed by the opening defined within the second disk at a predetermined time interval.

12 . The dispenser according to claim 10 , further comprising a timer operatively connected with the motor, the timer being structured to actuate the motor at predetermined time intervals and for a time sufficient to advance the opening defined in the second disk from one dosage receptacle to an adjacent dosage receptacle.

13 . The dispenser according to claim 9 , further comprising a timer operatively connected to a means for selectively permitting or resisting indexing of the second wheel so that the opening defined within the second wheel moves from one dosage receptacle to an adjacent dosage receptacle, the timer being structured to permit indexing of the second wheel only after a predetermined time interval since a previous indexing of the second wheel.

14 . The dispenser according to claim 9 , wherein the dispenser is structured to be visibly damaged upon an attempt to separate the first disk from the second disk.

15 . The dispenser according to claim 14 , further comprising a clamp secured to one of the disks, the clamp being structured to fit around the other of the disks to secure the disks together.

16 . The dispenser according to claim 6 , wherein the dispenser is structured to be secured over an opening defined in a medication container.

17 . The dispenser according to claim 16 , wherein the means for releasing a single dosage of medication at preselected time intervals includes:

a medication release mechanism; and

a timer operatively connected to the medication release mechanism, the timer being structured to permit or actuate the medication release mechanism at predetermined time intervals, and to resist releasing additional medication.

18 . The dispenser according to claim 17 , wherein the medication release mechanism includes a slider, the slider being structured to move between a first position wherein a dosage receptacle defined within the slider is in communication with an interior of the container and not with an exterior of the dispenser, and a second position wherein the dosage receptacle defined within the slider is in communication with the exterior of the dispenser and not with the interior of the container.

19 . The dispenser according to claim 18 , wherein the slider includes a single dosage receptacle that moves between the first position and second position each time the dispenser is actuated.

20 . The dispenser according to claim 18 , wherein the slider includes a plurality of dosage receptacles, each of which is sequentially placed in communication with the interior of the container when the slider is indexed, the slider further being structured so that subsequent indexing of the slider brings a dosage receptacle that was previously in communication with the interior of the container into communication with the exterior of the dispenser.

21 . The dispenser according to claim 18 , wherein the slider is structured to translate between the first position and the second position.

22 . The dispenser according to claim 18 , wherein the slider is pivotally secured within the dispenser, and is structured to rotate between the first position and the second position.

23 . The dispenser according to claim 17 , further comprising a motor operatively connected between the timer and the medication release mechanism, the motor being structured to actuate the medication release mechanism in response to a signal from the timer.

24 . The dispenser according to claim 16 , further comprising a means for selectively permitting or resisting actuation of the medication release mechanism operatively connected with the timer; whereby actuation of the medication release mechanism by the patient is permitted at preselected time intervals and resisted at other times.

25 . The dispenser according to claim 16 , wherein the dispenser is structured to be visibly damaged upon an attempt to remove the dispenser from the container.

26 . The dispenser according to claim 6 , wherein the dispenser is structured to incur visible damage upon an attempt to access medication within a container from which the dispenser dispenses medication.

27 . A method of dispensing medication, comprising:

providing a medication;

providing a dispenser structured to dispense a single dosage of medication at predetermined time intervals and to resist dispensing additional medication; and

incrementally dispensing single dosages of the medication from the dispenser at predetermined time intervals.

28 . The method according to claim 27 , wherein incrementally dispensing single dosages of the medication is performed by sequentially permitting access to single dosage receptacles defined within the dispenser.

29 . The method according to claim 27 , wherein incrementally dispensing single dosages of the medication is performed by transporting a single dosage of medication from a container to an exterior of the dispenser.

30 . The method according to claim 27 , further comprising providing evidence of tampering in the event that tampering with the dispenser occurs.

31 . The method according to claim 30 , wherein the evidence of tampering is visual evidence.

32 . A method of identifying patients at risk for abusing medication, the method comprising:

providing a dispenser to the patient, the dispenser having a first quantity of medication secured therein, the dispenser being structured to release single dosages of medication at predetermined time intervals and to resist releasing medication at other times;

providing the dispenser with a means for evidencing tampering with the dispenser; and

inspecting the dispenser prior to providing a second quantity of medication to the patient.

33 . The method according to claim 32 , further comprising collecting information about evidence of tamper with the dispenser.

34 . The method according to claim 33 , further comprising analyzing the information to determine whether the patient is at risk of abusing the medication.

35 . The method according to claim 32 , further comprising informing a physician prescribing the medication about any evidence of tampering.

36 . A method of identifying potential medication abuse, the method comprising:

providing a dispenser adapted to contain a quantity of medication, the dispenser being capable to regulate the manner by which the medication is to be taken by a patient according to designated instructions, the dispenser further being capable to evidence tampering by the patient or other persons, wherein the tampering is an indicator that medication may have been taken, or attempted to be taken, in a manner contrary to the designated instructions;

filling the dispenser with a first quantity of medication; and

inspecting the dispenser at designated times to identify evidence of tampering.

37 . The method according to claim 36 , wherein the designated times comprises when the dispenser is to be filled with a second quantity of medication.

38 . The method according to claim 37 , wherein the inspecting is performed at a pharmacy by a pharmacist or technician.

39 . The method according to claim 36 , further comprising informing a health care professional about any evidence of tampering.

40 . The method according to claim 39 , wherein the health care professional comprises a physician that prescribed the medication.

41 . The method according to claim 36 , wherein the designated instructions comprises a prescription.

42 . The method according to claim 39 , further comprising analyzing the information to determine whether the patient is at risk of abusing the medication.

43 . The method according to claim 36 , wherein the dispenser being capable to regulate the manner by which the medication is to be taken by a patient comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of dosage of medication to be taken by the patient and frequency by which the medication is to be taken by the patient.

44 . The method according to claim 36 , wherein the dispenser being capable to regulate the manner by which the medication is to be taken further comprises releasing medication at certain designated times and resist releasing medication at other times.