14 Feb 2023 • The capsules, called Vibrant, was cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration in August 2022 but just became available for doctors to prescribe this week. People who struggle with chronic constipation have a new drug-free option, this pill vibrates to stimulate the colon. Vibrant is considered a Class 2 medical device by the FDA, which is the same class as contact lenses. In a trial, the pill produced at least one additional weekly bowel movement for 41% of participants, compared to at least one additional bowel movement for 23% of participants who took a placebo pill.

The pills stimulate specialized nerve cells in the gut called mechanosensory cells. These help trigger peristalsis. Before use, each pill is activated in a little pod that turns it on. After it’s swallowed, it is active for about two hours, goes quiet for around six hours and then activates again for another two hours.

“One of the important side effects that it does not have is diarrhea, as a lot of the prescription drugs can lead to diarrhea,” doctors noted. The vibrating capsules are programmed to work in a specific way, and they’re FDA-authorized only to treat chronic constipation in adults who haven’t gotten help from or who can’t tolerate side effects of over-the-counter or prescription medications.

Source: CNN Health | Read full story