# MyTPill: A Novel Strategy to Monitor Antiretroviral Adherence among HIV+ Prescription Opioid Users

> **NIH NIH R01** · BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL · 2021 · $229,594

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Electronic adherence monitoring (EAM) technologies are widely used to support antiretroviral adherence. Unfortunately,
EAMs such as Wisepill assume, but cannot verify, actual ingestion of oral medication. In contrast, My/Treatment/Pill
(MyTPill), an innovative technology that directly measures ingestion, comprises a digital pill containing a medication and
tiny radio emitter in a gelatin capsule. When the digital pill is ingested, gastric contents dissolve the capsule to activate the
emitter. The digital pill “syncs” real-time ingestion data to a smartphone application to provide vivid, indisputable measures
of medication ingestion. Head-to-head comparisons of EAMs, however, have yet to be performed. Identifying the superior
EAM would improve virologic suppression by enabling real-time interventions to support ART adherence. In this
randomized controlled trial, we will compare MyTPill to WisePill among N=80 HIV+ men/women taking prescription opioids
and once-daily ART regimens containing tenofovir and emtricitabine with a viral load >200/mL. HIV+ patients on
prescription opioids have difficulty adhering to ART regimens, although the reasons are not fully known. Given the high
prevalence of prescription opioid misuse among HIV+ individuals—triple that of HIV-negative persons—and striking rates
of suboptimal ART adherence (46% worse than those who do not misuse), strategies to improve ART adherence in this
population are critically needed. Participants will be randomly assigned in a crossover trial to (1) MyTPill x 3 mos, then
WisePill x 3 mos; or (2) Wisepill x 3 mos, then MyTPill x 3 mos. Adherence measured via MyTPill and WisePill will be
compared to dried blood spot (DBS) concentrations of tenofovir diphosphate (for cumulative adherence) and emtricitabine
triphosphate (for recent adherence). Participants will provide DBS samples on multiple random times according to a
schedule that prevents anticipation of sampling but which assesses cumulative/recent ART adherence. We will also
examine which aspects of prescription opioid use, pain, withdrawal, and demographic, social, structural, and other
environmental contexts (measured by timeline follow back and quantitative interviews) are most closely linked to ART
adherence. Furthermore, we will examine how these aspects affect MyTPill and WisePill measures of ART adherence.
Primary Aim: Determine if MyTPill, as compared to Wisepill, exhibits: (1) better measures recent and cumulative ART
adherence when using DBS as the “gold standard”; and (2) better participant experience as assessed by observed and
self-reported measures (e.g., study retention, fidelity to study, protocol relative subjective index, qualitative interviews).
Secondary Aim: Examine which aspect(s) of prescription opioid use (e.g., prescribed use/misuse of opioids as measured
by MyTPill, technology subversion, pain, demographic, social, other structural factors) are most closely linked to ART
nonadherence (per D...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10140322
- **Project number:** 5R01DA047236-03
- **Recipient organization:** BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Edward W Boyer
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $229,594
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-06-01 → 2021-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10140322

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10140322, MyTPill: A Novel Strategy to Monitor Antiretroviral Adherence among HIV+ Prescription Opioid Users (5R01DA047236-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10140322. Licensed CC0.

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