Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1481142
Inhalation OctOber 2022 23 Inhalation: What are your plans for its future? Mark: e Inhalatorium website has been in exis- tence for 20 years. During that time, the power of digital search engines and initiatives to scan old texts has evolved massively, which means that our ability to search the past is better than ever and more reve- lations await. Now that I am retired, I want to spend some time adding material to the collection and making it a stronger educational tool to help those who train the inhalation technologists of the future. Inhalation: Mark, thank you very much for sharing your insights and viewpoints, and for developing the DPI history article. We believe the Inhalatorium is a fascinating resource for the inhalation community and wish you continued success with its development. References 1. Sobh, A. H., Rabea, H., Hamouda, M. A., Shawky, F., Saeed, H., and Abdelrahim, M. E. (2022). e impact of using different add-on devices to pressur- ized metered-dose-inhalers containing salbutamol in healthy adult volunteers: An in-vivo study. Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology, Volume 74, 103539. 2. Mahmoud, R. A., Boshra, M. S., Saeed, H., and Abdelrahim, M. E. (2022). e impact of the clip- tone training device and its smartphone application to pressurized metered-dose inhaler in adult asthmat- ics. Journal of Asthma, February 24, 2022, 1-8. 3. Chambers, T. K. (1849). On the inhalation of nitrate of silver and other mechanical agents. London Medical Gazette 43 (8): 639-640. https://archive. org/details/londonmedicalgaz43londuoft/page/639. Mark Sanders is an acknowledged expert on the his- tory of inhalation devices and the founder and cura- tor of the Inhalatorium, inhale@btinternet.com, www.inhalatorium.com. tion, new HFA propellants for pressurized metered dose inhalers have lower global warming potential so the MDI technologies will likely be sustainable in the future. erefore, it is becoming increasingly difficult for DPIs to justify non-sustainable electronics. I can see a role for smart inhalers in clinical studies and perhaps in the treatment of "difficult" asthma, but the wider market is looking to be beyond reach for electronics. Still, maybe less costly and more sustain- able acoustic solutions could have a role to play. Inhalation: Where do biologics fit in? Mark: For the moment, no biologics are available in the inhalation dosage format. It is tempting to con- template inhaled biologics though. But before using this new class of medications, it is important to deter- mine that the patient is getting the most from their standard-of-care inhaled therapy, through correct and regular inhaler use. ere is potentially a role for electronic or, indeed, acoustic inhaler technologies to confirm that a patient qualifies for biologics. Inhalation: What is the "Inhalatorium" and what was your purpose in creating it? Mark: e Inhalatorium is a website—an online museum—dedicated to the history of all forms of inhalation therapy. Its intent is to provide evidence of the rich history of inhalation technology and help ensure that some remarkably clever, early ideas are not forgotten. I firmly believe that lessons learned from past experiences can teach us ways of approach- ing the future, but those lessons can be hidden away if they are not captured and preserved. Inhalation: How can the Inhalatorium support inhalation development today? Mark: Seeing previous technologies can fuel the cre- ativity of those responsible for developing future tech- nologies. As an example, the very earliest recorded use of dry powder inhalation [3] (as outlined in the DPI history article) involved use of an "engineered" particle, in that case, a hollow lycopodium spore, but engineered particles are very much a current devel- opment theme.