Skip to Content

Four-Cent Inhaler

Cheap device could replace syringes
January 1, 2007

Drugmakers are increasingly turning to inhalable versions of vaccines and drugs in order to avoid the hassle and danger of syringes. A new inhaler that costs only four cents could administer powdered drugs as effectively as traditional inhalers that cost 10 times as much. The technology, which uses no moving parts, could help poor countries stop relying on syringes, which cost pennies apiece but require trained staff and carry an infection risk. To make their inhaler cheaper, engineers at Cambridge Consultants of Cambridge, England, and Boston focused on its internal shape. When a user inhales, a kind of miniature tornado forms inside the device, lifting a powdered drug into the air. The company is in talks with pharmaceutical firms to test the device with a powdered flu vaccine, among other drugs. Though an inhaler is a fraction of the price of a vaccine dose (currently $3 to $7), the savings could make a difference. “Everyone in the field dreams of a future with these kinds of simple, low-cost vaccine delivery systems,” says Donald Francis, cofounder of Global Solutions for Infectious Diseases, a nonprofit vaccine developer. “Moving to a needle-free model is a goal most of us share.”

A prototype inhaler shown here lacks moving parts but delivers drugs effectively thanks to its internal shape.

Keep Reading

Most Popular

DeepMind’s cofounder: Generative AI is just a phase. What’s next is interactive AI.

“This is a profound moment in the history of technology,” says Mustafa Suleyman.

What to know about this autumn’s covid vaccines

New variants will pose a challenge, but early signs suggest the shots will still boost antibody responses.

Human-plus-AI solutions mitigate security threats

With the right human oversight, emerging technologies like artificial intelligence can help keep business and customer data secure

Next slide, please: A brief history of the corporate presentation

From million-dollar slide shows to Steve Jobs’s introduction of the iPhone, a bit of show business never hurt plain old business.

Stay connected

Illustration by Rose Wong

Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review

Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.

Thank you for submitting your email!

Explore more newsletters

It looks like something went wrong.

We’re having trouble saving your preferences. Try refreshing this page and updating them one more time. If you continue to get this message, reach out to us at customer-service@technologyreview.com with a list of newsletters you’d like to receive.