A Development for Asthmatic Divers: Development of An underwater Inhaler

[Jcp2]

I hold three patents on devices that are unmarketable simply due to projected liability insurance costs. All are for attractive, remarkable and innovative products, causing sufficient demand to far exceed investment, mold costs, etc.

What level of liability incurs with SCUBA gear? Flippers, masks, regulators, or...how about inserting goo into the pressurized Reg Set system? What could possibly go wrong?

And really, that’s not the issue. You can have the safest widget in the world, once you enter into a certain group of products, you share that liability burden equally. Frustrating but true.

I don’t bother to make things, been there, done that. I sell my patents. Once liability insurance figures in, i have nothing any manufacturer would be interested in.

Now, factor in the extremely limited application and market.

The numbers will defeat you.

This reminds me of Palforzia. It’s a relatively new medication used to induce tolerance to peanuts for children with mild to moderately severe peanut allergies. It’s just under $900 a month ($11,000/year) for weekly dosing under a doctor’s supervision, and the effect only lasts as long as the treatment continues.
In reality, it is merely a very carefully measured dose of peanut flour costing literally pennies a capsule; what you are paying for is the measuring and literature and FDA approval, and then you’ll pay on top of that for administration under medical supervision for possible anaphylaxis, and then you’ll pay for the treatment of the anaphylaxis. Well, maybe your insurance will pay.
Of course, I’m the guy who used to service his own family’s ski bindings without formal training and is now responsible for the regulators, so don’t do as I do at all.

 

[jejton]

When I was young, in the eighties, one fellow in our scuba club did suffer of asthma. The symptoms were exacerbated by the fact that you breath very dry air.
His solution was simple: an humidifier installed between 1st stage and IP hose. It was a small cylinder containing a tubular sponge, which had to be saturated with water. This was very effective creating some sort of mist in the air you breath.
I suppose that those humidifiers are stll being manufacturer.
I also suppose that replacing water with some mild, diluted aerosol solution can provide even better effects...
See here:
http://shop.divingexpress.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=2181

Sounds like an HME (Heat Moisture Exchanger) that can be placed on a tracheostomy (for the same purpose your friend used).

 

[scubadada]

I don't think you should be using a rescue inhaler and diving.

 

[jejton]

I don't think you should be using a rescue inhaler and diving.

Maybe not keep on diving. Use the rescue as a last resort as you proceed to safely end the dive and get topside. A well-controlled asthmatic may still have a sudden onset attack diving or not, but if underwater and 10 minutes away from safely surfacing (or even 5), this may help abort the attack before the diver deteriorates further in-water. To use this as a rescue in order to continue the dive, I agree, is a bad idea. Aside from the risk of the attack worsening, the tachycardia resulting from the albuterol will significantly increase oxygen consumption. At depth, this can result in an OOA scenario quicker than anticipated.

 

[Ana]

I hold three patents on devices that are unmarketable simply due to projected liability insurance costs. All are for attractive, remarkable and innovative products, causing sufficient demand to far exceed investment, mold costs, etc.

What level of liability incurs with SCUBA gear? Flippers, masks, regulators, or...how about inserting goo into the pressurized Reg Set system? What could possibly go wrong?

And really, that’s not the issue. You can have the safest widget in the world, once you enter into a certain group of products, you share that liability burden equally. Frustrating but true.

I don’t bother to make things, been there, done that. I sell my patents. Once liability insurance figures in, i have nothing any manufacturer would be interested in.

Now, factor in the extremely limited application and market.

The numbers will defeat you.

Every once in a while a person who doesn't understand that something isn't going to work, somehow figures way to make it work.

Even if similar things failed many times before.

IJS

 

[Esprise Me]

I like the idea of integrating it with a Spare Air that was mentioned upthread. One, this would allow the diver to still use a rental reg without having to attach extras or swap out parts. I know most people posting here have their own reg and wouldn't leave home without it, but a lot of casual vacation divers feel differently. Two, this might offer a practical solution to the liability cost issue. An established company that's already trying to sell its product to scuba divers, whose product could become more relevant with the addition of this new invention, might be just the thing you need to get this off the ground. They make a soda can-sized 1.5 cf model that fits in a pocket but probably wouldn't get a stressed OOA diver out of a kiddie pool--but it would deliver enough air to take a dose of asthma medicine, even at deeper recreational depths. And no, this should not be a thing that's used regularly. It should be like a pony bottle, a PLB/whistle/dye pack, or a backup light. You carry it on the off chance you might need it someday, because not having it could be catastrophic, not because you think it's likely that day will ever come. If you find yourself using it regularly (other than for practice), you need to step back and reevaluate.

 

[Belzelbub]

I was surprised to see this, because in the USA anyone with asthma regardless of the cause is turned away from diving.

That’s not true, and really hasn’t been true for a while. I was first certified in 1990. I had pretty severe asthma when I was younger. I checked the box on the medical form and had to have my Dr (Asthma specialist) sign off on the form. Fast forward many years, and my daughter is getting certified. Dr signs off on the form. This was, coincidentally, the same Specialist that signed my form back in 1990, so he’s had a lot of experience since then. He told me that the concern now depends on the cause of the asthma attacks. Exertion based sudden attacks were the concerns. In my case, and my daughters, the trigger was most often allergic. Exertion wasn’t a factor.

 

[Doc]

...tolerance to peanuts for children...

Therein is the difference... (this is not about medical insurance, but LIABILITY insurance)

1) The peanut allergy audience is HUGE.

2) such a drug would be a new (novel) solution to a medical malady

This equals money. Easy to pay for the liability insurance.

What the OP has is a modification/change of an existing delivery system. Then, mashing it with what is already classed as a high risk device: regulators.

..I’m the guy who used to service his own family’s ski bindings without formal training and is now responsible for the regulators, so don’t do as I do at all.

Ski bindings have been mounted and adjusted by trained monkeys for years.

You bring up an interesting parallel. Many older bindings can not be touched by a ski tech lest their shop lose liability coverage due to manufacturers prohibiting them from touching older gear.

(I have 5 mono skis with ancient Solomon 757 Demo bindings. They still seem to be fine)

Every once in a while a person who doesn't understand that something isn't going to work, somehow figures way to make it work.

Even if similar things failed many times before.

IJS

I appreciate a can-do attitude. Insurance companies really don’t shiv a git.

 

[Bob DBF]

When I was young, in the eighties, one fellow in our scuba club did suffer of asthma. The symptoms were exacerbated by the fact that you breath very dry air.

Dry air is a trigger for attacks...

Dry air may be a trigger for some, however it isn't one of mine, and most water I dive removes me from the environment that contain my triggers so diving was even better for me before the treatment I use now which seems to have solved my problem.

If I needed a rescue inhaler underwater, I wouldn't be scuba diving.

 

[Ollie Carter]

I hold three patents on devices that are unmarketable simply due to projected liability insurance costs. All are for attractive, remarkable and innovative products, causing sufficient demand to far exceed investment, mold costs, etc.

What level of liability incurs with SCUBA gear? Flippers, masks, regulators, or...how about inserting goo into the pressurized Reg Set system? What could possibly go wrong?

And really, that’s not the issue. You can have the safest widget in the world, once you enter into a certain group of products, you share that liability burden equally. Frustrating but true.

I don’t bother to make things, been there, done that. I sell my patents. Once liability insurance figures in, i have nothing any manufacturer would be interested in.

Now, factor in the extremely limited application and market.

The numbers will defeat you.

A long way off this, i understand the liability risks and what ill have to overcome, just more work really.