U.S. regulators approved the first medicine with an embedded sensor to help keep track of whether patients with mental illness are adhering to their prescriptions.

The decision marks a milestone in the convergence of technology and health care that also raises privacy concerns.

The so-called digital pill is a version of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co.'s Abilify, which treats depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The sensor, developed by Proteus Digital Health, is activated by stomach fluids, sending a signal to a patch worn on the patient's torso and transmitting the information to a smartphone app.

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