Medtronic is marketing a modified PALM that allows patients to wirelessly control an implanted drug pump that delivers their pain medication. The Personal Therapy Manager (PTM) allows patients to control the flow of medicine they receive using a simple interface. "It's an early but significant advancement in the convergence of consumer gadgets and patient-controlled medical tools," notes BusinessWeek. Simple, but a bit on the pricey side. The units cost around $2,000 each. As prices fall and similar technologies penetrate the market, expect gadgets like this to become a major force.
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