Device gives hope to asthma patients

A groundbreaking asthma treatment device which is being manufactured in Ireland has been hailed as “the most important development in respiratory medicine since the transplant”.

Global medical devices giant Boston Scientific confirmed yesterday that employees at its Cork plant are working on scaling up production of the Alair bronchial thermoplasty system to meet what they expect will be massive global demand.

The first and only non-drug treatment for severe asthma in patients over 18, it is designed to reduce the frequency and severity of asthma attacks.