Digihaler by Teva
What if inhalers knew if they were being used effectively?
Freelance design strategist with Havas Health + for Teva Pharmaceuticals
Inhaler use is taught but steroid dosage is not confirmed. Can this medical device change the game?
Havas approached me through my connections to service designers in New York, with the belief that service design could move the needle on a challenging client relationship. The client was looking for an innovative approach to a product that appeared conventional but was positioned to truly transform asthma treatment. Could design offer a path forward?
In this highly regulated space we were contracted to do the standard communication required for a new medical device, including patient facing, clinician facing and payer facing messaging. The standard process was already rolling when I stepped into the project, and I provided small adjustments to copy that could prime the client for a more robust market activation push.
Where is the win?
As we finished the service blueprint and were on the cusp of prototyping activation kits to hit the first activation site, the client was hit with a lawsuit to compensate victims of the opioid crisis. Our activation plan was cancelled, and as of 2024 the product was pulled from the market.
What was the outcome?
It was a privilege working with such experienced agency pros, and I was able to support a handful of high profile pitches, including 2 intensive presentations at top pharmaceutical brands. Upon termination of our contract I was in talks with business development to innovate upstream and find a path for strategic design opportunities earlier in the development cycle. I still am eager to see how traditional agencies can innovate and embrace design as a practice to inform that innovation.