Fashion-conscious asthmatic readers will be excited to know that a new ultra-thin inhaler is on the horizon. Though it’s still in the testing phase, the prototype looks cool. It’s designed to carry six doses of medication, but still fits in the credit card compartment of a wallet.
This is the iWheeze. Just kidding, it’s called Bloom, but it is clearly inspired by the sleek, portable gadgets that are designed to be carried around inconspicuously. It’s roughly the size of a credit card — 54mm by 85mm. To use, asthma sufferers would pre-load it with the metal canister that comes with a traditional asthma inhaler.
During an attack, they would fish it out of the wallet, flip up a tab that acts as a “trigger” and spray it into their mouths.
It’s a good design, and a look at the Bloom website shows that it’s meant to retail for just $US40 ($55).
Unfortunately, the same site shows that it isn’t going to be on the market any time soon. According to the FAQ, Bloom is scheduled to conclude FDA testing in November. If it passes muster, it should be on the US market sometime after that but Australian availability is a whole different question. In any case, there’s no set date, so keep your traditional inhaler handy.