U of Sask. researchers developing health app that can simplify medicine labels

Have you ever had trouble reading, or understanding, the information on over-the-counter medicine packages?

Well, you're not alone.

That's why an undergrad student and an assistant professor at the University of Saskatchewan are developing an app to help make sure you get the information you need.

The MedGuide app simplifies and highlights important information on medicine labels.

It is being developed by U of S computer science student Alexander Magnus and his mentor, Debajyoti Mondal, an assistant professor at the U of S.

Mondal said the app works by first taking a picture of the medicine label. MedGuide will then bring up a screen with text and icons that highlight important information like dosage, as well as possible side effects and risks.

The information is all shown in a way that anyone can understand, the app's creators say.

"Since you have both the icons and text, and the information is prioritized, it guides you through the information that is on the medicine box," Mondal told The Afternoon Edition's Garth Materie.

Mondal works in visualization at the U of S and got the idea for MedGuide from other apps that simplify things by using visual tools like Google maps.

For example, someone who has trouble reading the small print on the medicine label will be able to use MedGuide to zoom in or zoom out on their cellphone to get the information.

The two also collaborated with U of S emergency medicine professor Brent Thoma and conducted surveys with the general public, doctors and pharmacists in Saskatoon is developing the app.

University of British Columbia (Okanagan) professor Khalad Hasan also helped integrate the image recognition technology into the app.

Magnus gathered all of the information and developed a prototype of MedGuide.

He said the app will make it easier for people to use their medicine safely and more effectively.

"I hope people are able to make better-informed decisions, and I hope that people are more capable of taking care of themselves," said Magnus.

Magnus was also motivated to work on a project that had such tangible benefits for people.

"It's something that people can say, 'Wow, that's interesting. I could actually use that.' I think that's the most exciting, because it gets other people excited about it."

The pair began working on the app last summer and the latest prototype currently recognizes 100 existing drugs.

Mondal said they hope to have a fully functioning app available to the public sometime next year.