#TBT: Developing a Medical Device Out of Pollution

Air pollution is a major threat to the environment and for humans. It’s one of the agents that fuel climate change and an important source of morbidity and (premature) mortality. For patients with respiratory diseases, avoiding polluted places is a must, as carbon dioxide only makes their symptoms worse. Finding places that are not contaminated is extremely difficult, as almost all of the world’s population (99%) breathe air that exceeds the WHO air quality guideline limits containing high levels of pollutants.

By improving air quality, millions of lives will be saved. World leaders and policy-makers are looking for different solutions to tackle this problem, an issue that concerns some brands as well. Yet, when we speak about brands and agencies, the strategies they come up with in order to combat air pollution are infused with a generous dose of creativity, or — you’ll be surprised to discover — with pollution. During this week’s #ThrowBrandThursday, AstraZeneca Brazil’s “CO2 Inhaler” initiative is in our focus, a medical device the brand developed to help patients living with asthma and COPD breathe better.

The pharmaceutical and biotechnology company decided to lift a small part of the heavy burden the environment carries on its shoulders, pollution, and turn it into a helpful tool. Developed together with McCann Health Sao Paolo and New York, AstraZeneca’s portable device is created with people living with respiratory diseases in mind, enabling them to use the inhaler whenever they feel the need to prevent or relieve the symptoms of an attack.

According to the agency, the inhaler marks “the first time ever pollution has been used to help patients breathe better.” So, you’re probably wondering how can contaminated air be helpful to such patients? In order to develop the inhaler, the team, who worked closely with one of the world’s top chemists, Cornell University’s Geoffrey Coates, converted carbon dioxide into biodegradable plastic. The material was then used to create the device, which is host to the medication the sick persons need.

“AstraZeneca is committed to becoming carbon negative by 2030. The CO2 Inhaler sets a precedent for the future where it can tackle two issues at once: The health of our patients, and the health of our environment,” said AstraZeneca Brazil’s Senior Product Manager, Viviane Milício.

Air pollution is a global public health emergency, as it is responsible for around seven million premature deaths around the world each year. 22% of these deaths happen because of respiratory diseases. In 2019, Brazil was the country with the largest number of deaths due to air pollution (approximately 60,900), followed by Mexico (with 48,300 deaths).