That “beep” on your smartphone may be reminding you to take a pill.

Yes, now even your phone can be used as a reminder telling you to take medications as required – or warning you to avoid mixing some.

Quintiles, the world’s largest life science services company, is now providing patient warnings and reminders about medication through a new mobile app. It’s part of Quintiles’ free online MediGuard service, which now has about 2.6 million users.

The MediGuard mobile app is available for download at the MediGuard website or from Apple’s and Google’s app storefronts.

Quintiles also takes the quality of the information quite seriously, as noted in its responses to questions posed by WRALTechWire about the app and legal risks of the alerts.

Growing patient mobility is a driving need that the app meets, according to Quintiles Senior Vice President David Coman.

“With nearly one-third of all mobile device owners using their phones to look up health care information, this capability has become an imperative if MediGuard is to engage with patients at moments when they most need access to that information,” Coman said in announcing the new app Wednesday.

The app features more than warnings and advisories about medications. It also includes a “drug look-up” database of more than 4,000 prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins and supplements. Users can search by typing or speaking product names.

The app links to MediGuard’s database, which includes information about side-effects, so-called “black-box warnings” on particular drugs and safety alerts, recalls and drug interactions that might occur.

“Our information is provided by the Federal Drug Administration and the pharmaceutical manufacturers themselves,” said Dan Zola, Quintiles’ director of digital strategy. “We have a medical team that reviews that information on a daily basis.”

Dr. Shane Hemphill, a family physician in Cary, said the app can be useful but should never be a substitute for consulting with a doctor or seeking medical care.

“There are pills for everything,” Hemphill said. “We have some (patients) on 10 medications, 15 medications.”

People and their doctors need to pay close attention to potentially harmful drug interactions, he said.

“It’s something we have to be careful of or concerned with,” he said.

Zola said the MediGuard app includes “a risk rating” associated with each drug interaction, ranking them from mild to severe.

“The information the app provides is certainly crucial,” he said.

A YouTube video explaining the app is available online.