Conversations about finger-clip pulse oximetry devices and their limitations are no longer happening solely amongst medical professionals. The urgent need to address racial bias in pulse oximetry is now understood globally, and
manufacturers must show that they’re committed to the cause. Those who don’t could face reputational damage, legal action, and eventually, lost market share.
To stay commercially viable in the future, manufacturers should look towards alternative sites for pulse oximetry – ones that allow for robust, racially inclusive readings, and which tick boxes for both patient and practitioner end-users.
Here’s why, and our proposed solution.
Looking toward alternative sites for pulse oximetry
Finger-clip pulse oximeters have been relied upon since the 1970s, yet research from as early as 1990 points to their potential inaccuracy for people with darker skin. The Covid-19 pandemic saw a resurgence of research in this area, and engineers are now testing ways to make finger-clip devices more accurate for people with darker skin – such as by swapping red light for green light.
Yet, while adjusting finger-clip oximeters might address racial bias, looking at other sites entirely could show even better results.
For instance, it's predicted that wrist-worn pulse oximetry will be the fastest growing segment in the pulse oximetry market between 2021-2031. Demand for greater accuracy is driving this growth, but so is the fact that wrist-worn devices are less restrictive for long-term wear.
In the same time period, pulse oximetry devices for use at home are also expected to experience significant increase in demand. For manufacturers, the big question here is: how can we create pulse oximetry technology that is both accurate for everyone and convenient to use across all environments?
The inner ear canal – the new site for pulse oximetry?
At EarSwitch®, we believe we’ve discovered a site for robust and racially inclusive oxygen readings – the inner ear canal.
As it’s unpigmented irrespective of skin colour, the inner ear canal presents a measurement site that could be less vulnerable to racial bias. It’s also a core site, closer to the brain and heart than both the wrist and finger and is less restrictive than devices worn on those body parts.
Inner ear pulse oximetry is also fertile ground for commercial opportunities. Here are just three reasons why:
You can take multiple health measurements from within the inner ear canal, including heart function measures, respiration rate and pattern, blood pressure indicators, and even gait. This creates an opportunity to offer a pulse oximetry device that creates a full ‘digital twin’ for patient management systems.
The ear has already been proven as a site that consumers are comfortable accessing for both lifestyle and healthcare purposes. For instance, technology giant Sony launched over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids in 2022, capitalising on a market that is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.6% until 2030.
Our in-ear oximetry device, EarMetrics®-Oximetry, was one of just eight devices accepted onto the Innovative Devices Access Pathway (IDAP) pilot programme, which launched in early 2024. We see this collaboration between the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), Department of Health and Social Care, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), and its Welsh and Scottish equivalents, as recognising the urgent importance of addressing racial inequalities in finger oximetry, and the potential for the National Health Service (NHS).
For manufacturers, considering alternative sites for pulse oximetry – specifically the inner ear canal – could hold the key to a competitive edge, and a leading reputation. What’s more, with our licensable EarMetrics®-Oximetry technology, we could provide an accelerated route to differentiation.
Accelerate your route to differentiation with EarMetrics®-Oximetry
EarMetrics®-Oximetry presents an opportunity to become an early adopter of accurate and equitable pulse oximetry. The technology can traverse healthcare and lifestyle technology – from hearing aids to audio earbuds – with its miniaturised sensor integrated into these devices easily. This makes it an attractive proposition for many manufacturers who want to enhance or extend their device capabilities.
It builds on the pulse oximetry technology that has been relied upon so heavily for the past 30 years, while addressing some of the market’s major concerns about racial bias. With grants from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the IDAP pilot, and multiple patents granted (and pending), our technology has a strong IP position for device manufacturers to take advantage of.
With Dr Nick Gompertz at the helm, an ex-general practitioner (GP) with 30 years of NHS experience, EarMetrics®-Oximetry has already secured vital engagement with NHS professionals. We are currently taking it through physiological trials leading to clinical studies, which we hope will generate the clinical data needed to gain confidence among the wider healthcare industry.
To learn more about EarMetrics®-Oximetry and how partnering with us could help you increase and future-proof your market share, download our brochure for pulse oximetry manufacturers today.
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