Oral osmotic device with hydrogel driving member.

AN OSMOTIC DEVICE (10) IS DESCRIBED TO SUPPLY A BENEFICIAL MEDICINE, SUCH AS AN ANTIFUNGICIDE, IN THE MOUTH OF A HUMAN PATIENT. THE DEVICE (10) HAS A SIZE AND A SHAPE THAT ADAPTS IT TO BE RETAINED WITH COMFORT IN THE MOUTH FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. DEVICE (10) INCLUDES A WALL (12) SURROUNDING A COMPARTMENT (13) ACCOMMODATING A LAYER OF AN AGENT (14) THAT IS INSOLUBLE TO VERY SOLUBLE IN AQUEOUS BIOLOGICAL FLUIDS, FOR EXAMPLE, SALIVA, AND A LAYER (16) OF FLUID, SWALLOWABLE HYDROPHILIC POLYMER. A CHANNEL (17) ON THE WALL (12) CONNECTS THE AGENT (14) WITH THE OUTSIDE OF THE DEVICE (10). THE WALL (12) IS PERMEABLE TO THE PASSAGE OF AQUEOUS BIOLOGICAL FLUID BUT SUBSTANTIALLY WATERPROOF TO THE PASSAGE OF THE HYDROPHILIC POLYMER (16). IN AN EMBODIMENT THE BENEFICIAL AGENT (14) HAS A DIFFERENT COLOR THAN THAT OF THE HYDROPHILIC POLYMER (16). WALL (12) IS ENOUGH TRANSLUCENT TO ALLOW THE PATIENT TO SEE THE AMOUNT OF DRUGS / BENEFICIAL AGENT (14) REMAINING TO BE SUPPLIED. SOME MARKER LINES (19) CAN BE PROVIDED ON THE WALL (12) INDICATING THE AMOUNT OF MEDICATION / AGENT (14) THAT HAS BEEN SUPPLIED AND / OR THE AMOUNT REMAINING TO BE SUPPLIED.