Your inhaler ’ s watching you: drugmakers race for smart devices

(Reuters) – Makers of inhalers to treat asthma and chronic lung disease are racing to develop a new generation of smart devices with sensors to monitor if patients are using their puffers properly. Linked wirelessly to the cloud, the gadgets are part of a medical “Internet of Things” that promises improved adherence, or correct use of the medication, and better health outcomes. They may also hold the key to company profits in an era of increasingly tough competition. Drugmakers believe giving patients and doctors the ability to check inhaler use in this way could be a big help in proving the value of their medicines to governments and insurers, though they need to tread carefully on data privacy. GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:GSK), AstraZeneca (NYSE:AZN) and Novartis (NYSE:NVS) are all chasing the opportunity via deals with device firms including U.S.-based Propeller Health and Australian-listed Adherium, as well as technology players like Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM). Over the past half century, inhalers have revolutionised care by delivering medicines direct into the lungs and avoiding the serious side effects seen with older oral drugs. But getting patients to take their medication correctly remains a challenge. “Technique is critical. You might have the world’s best blockbuster drug in an inhaler, but if patients don’t use it properly they won’t get the benefits,” said Omar Usmani, a consultant physician at Imperial College London. With...
Source: Mass Device - Category: Medical Equipment Authors: Tags: mHealth (Mobile Health) Patient Monitoring Respiratory AstraZeneca plc GlaxoSmithKline plc Novartis AG Qualcomm Source Type: news