Propeller Health, formerly known as Asthmapolis, received FDA clearance for its new inhaler use sensor and accompanying system that can send out alerts to parents and caretakers when medication is not taken appropriately. The new, smaller sensor features Bluetooth Low Energy, which gives the device a battery life of over 18 months without ever having to recharge it.
The device communicates with a matching app that provides coaching about one’s condition, how to use the inhaler, and helps to follow a prescribed regimen by learning from the usage patterns recorded by the sensor.
From the announcement:
Under the new clearance, the Propeller system can now be used to help predict exacerbations in patients with asthma and COPD. By comparing Metered-Dose Inhaler (MDI) use to a patient’s baseline and the clinical guidelines, Propeller alerts care teams to people who do not have their disease under control, or who may be worsening and heading to an exacerbation.
The system can now also be used to reduce the frequency of respiratory health symptoms and exacerbations by increasing adherence to medications through feedback, such as reminders, notifications, and self-management education. Propeller’s automated, real-time coaching educates users about how best to manage their disease, recognize symptoms and avoid triggers. For the first time, that coaching can include inhaler technique — a major barrier to the optimal use of inhaled medications — using information captured during the normal course of use.
Product page: Propeller…
Press release: Propeller Health Receives New FDA Clearance for Next Generation Propeller Platform…