Standards and competencies to improve inhaler technique

Despite many advances in treatment options inhalers remain the mainstay for delivering medication to the lungs while minimising side effects in respiratory disorders, principally asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In asthma, they control symptoms and prevent mortality and for COPD they help relieve symptoms and prevent exacerbations. Recent findings showed that incorrect inhaler technique is unacceptably widespread and has not improved over the past 40 years¹, pointing to an urgent need for new approaches to education and drug delivery. This mirrored previous findings.^2,3,4

The UK Inhaler Group (UKIG) is a group of individuals and organisations, from a wide range of professions and patient groups, who are all passionate about improving the use of inhaled medications.