A swallowable ultrasound device called uPill could end the need for painful daily injections. DAILY injections are a painful fact of life for many people with diabetes or cancer. Pills are an easier and more pleasant treatment method but substances like insulin do not penetrate tissue quickly enough to be effective when taken orally. Now a pill that uses ultrasound to speed up drug delivery could remove the need for needles. Ultrasound has been used for years to accelerate the transfer of drugs through skin and can increase drug absorption by a factor of 10. The method works by heating up molecules inside skin tissue, making cell membranes more permeable. It is particularly good for delivering protein-based drugs such as some cancer medicines, insulin and various vaccinations
