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The Digital Dilemma: The Continued Case for Connected Inhalers

Milton-Edwards M.

Respiratory Drug Delivery 2026. Volume 1, 2026: 7-0.

Abstract:

Globally, over 570 million people live with chronic respiratory diseases, yet current treatments are used sub-optimally, leaving patients and healthcare systems with poor value for money. This stems from a ‘digital dilemma’ where medical care still relies on unreliable patient self-reports, despite the existence of technology capable of objectively monitoring inhaler use. By utilizing a ‘tool, task, and person’ framework, ‘connected inhalers’ can directly address poor use (adherence) and incorrect technique, leading to improved clinical outcomes. Additionally, connected inhaler systems utilizing advanced technologies such as machine learning allow a temporal understanding of a person’s disease, providing the ability to predict respiratory crises, days in advance. 

Upgrading even a fraction of the 1.2 billion inhalers manufactured annually could fundamentally shift respiratory medicine from reactive, ‘blind’ reviews to a proactive, data-driven intervention system. Ultimately, this transition would minimize resource waste, reduce the impact of exacerbations, and deliver substantial value to patients, providers, and manufacturers alike.