New £3m fund for innovative technology to improve asthma care

A new £3million fund has been launched to support innovative technology that aims to improve the lives of those living with asthma.

The fund will support the development and adoption of scalable and effective asthma health technologies, such as smart inhalers, within the NHS.

Launched by Asthma UK, the British Lung Foundation, National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the fund is open to applicants from tech companies and NHS trusts.

It will fund the “development and testing of user-centred technology” to transform the way people with asthma manage their condition.

Dr Samantha Walker, director of research and innovation at Asthma UK and British Lung Foundation partnership, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be investing in technology for asthma care. People with asthma are generally responsible for much of their day-to-day care, often only seeing their GP once a year for an asthma review or in an emergency.

“Managing multiple asthma triggers and day-to-day changes in asthma symptoms is extremely challenging, but getting it right has the potential to prevent two thirds of asthma deaths.

“We believe technology could play a vital role in this and are excited to see the novel solutions to preventing asthma attacks and improving the lives of people with asthma that are created as a result of this funding.”

Asthma UK’s 2016 Connected Asthma report highlighted the possible benefits of smart inhalers, health apps and remote monitoring technology to reduce asthma attacks and reduce symptoms.

But four years on the technology available is still limited, Asthma UK said.

Asthma affects 5.4m people in the UK and results in around 70,000 hospital admissions and 1100 deaths every year.

Dr Kedar Pandya, director for cross-council programmes at EPSRC added: “New and emerging technologies, such as smart inhalers that link to personal devices, have the potential to revolutionise the way we diagnose, manage and treat asthma.”

For more information on the fund visit Asthma UKs website here.