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

A man uses an inhaler at his house in Beijing, China November 2, 2014. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo

LONDON: 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.