Patients who received text message reminders to take their medicine significantly improved their medication adherence, according to a new study.

Published in Clinical Therapeutics, the report involved 580 people and found 85 per cent of those receiving the alerts followed their oral medicine regimen, while among those that didn't receive the reminders, 77 per cent took their treatment as prescribed.

The findings were particularly striking among patients who were prescribed an oral anti-diabetic drug (91 per cent Vs 82 per cent) or a beta-blocker (88 per cent to 71 per cent).

The study saw a control group of 290 people and another group of the same size that opted-in to receive text message medication-specific dosage-specific reminders for a chronic oral medication, matching the reminders to pharmacy claims for the same medication. 

“Findings suggest that members opting into a text message reminder programme have significantly higher chronic oral medication adherence compared with members not opting to receive medication-specific text message reminders, and that the use of a text message reminder programme assists in preserving higher rates of adherence over time,” the researchers concluded.

Earlier this year an SMS text dose reminder service promoting patient adherence was a key part of a Janssen's MyIncivio hepatitis C patient programme.

Texting was also highlighted in a report last year by mobile operators' assocation GSM World, which praised SMS reminders for medical and vaccination appointments from Mobiltel Bulgaria.

Digital inspiration for pharma on mobile, social media, strategy, best practice, regulations and more