Thermopile powered transdermal drug delivery device

A transdermal drug delivery device comprising:

• a drug containing element selected from the group consisting of a reservoir, matrix, gel and nonwoven layer, said drug containing element comprising a drug;
• first and second electrodes for conducting a current flow through the drug containing element, the current flow causing the drug to be released from the drug containing element and to permeate through the skin of a user to which the device has been fixed;
• a power source connected to the first and second electrodes for providing the energy necessary to generate the current flow;
• wherein the power source comprises a thermocouple or thermopile comprising two poles which are connected to the first and second electrodes, the first pole being in contact with the user's skin and the second pole being in contact with the environment whereby a self-contained drug delivery device is formed which provides the energy necessary for generating the current flow by means of a difference in temperature of the skin of the user and the environment.