Student creates portable wallet to keep medication cool after being inspired by girlfriend’s story

A student from Loughborough University has designed a portable wallet to keep medication cool after being inspired by his girlfriend who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Bish Clow, 22, who studies Product Design and Technology, has created Chill - a flexible insulated pouch to store medication at refrigerator temperature.

The aim of the product is to give people the freedom to enjoy trips away from home without worrying about how to keep their medication cold.

Bish first came across this problem after his girlfriend was diagnosed with MS at the age of 21.

Bish said she was offered a variety of medications, some of which needed to be kept refrigerated.

He thought this could cause issues especially while traveling and he wanted to create a product to help.

He said: “Millions of people all around the world live with conditions requiring a medication which must be stored at refrigerator temperatures for them to remain effective. These drugs can include hormone treatments and insulin.

“This poses the issue of always having access to a fridge to keep the medication at the right temperature. People are given these medications without having specialised equipment to correctly store it.”

The wallet can store a wide range of drugs and drug delivery systems within a temperature range of 2-8°C.

The wallet uses a compact refrigeration system to keep the contents at a stable temperature and the device runs off an internal battery which lasts for several hours.

Bish said during his research he spoke to people who rely on refrigerated medications for conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and cystic fibrosis.

He asked them how they kept their drugs cool while away from home.

“These people said it required a lot of planning and structure that can often detract from the experience of going away and they can’t always be as spontaneous as they might want to be,” he said.

“Some users would sometimes rather miss doses of medication than try to attempt taking it with them. Individuals can feel like prisoners of their own medication.”

Bish said that as well as giving people more freedom, the product also has the potential to help save healthcare providers money as the medications won’t be wasted from them being stored incorrectly.

 Chill will be showcased during the Loughborough Design School Degree Show 2019 which runs until 15th June.

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Loughborough is one of the country’s leading universities, with an international reputation for research that matters, excellence in teaching, strong links with industry, and unrivalled achievement in sport and its underpinning academic disciplines.

 

It has been awarded five stars in the independent QS Stars university rating scheme, named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects in the 2019 QS World University Rankings, University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2019 and top in the country for its student experience in the 2018 THE Student Experience Survey.

 

Loughborough is in the top 10 of every national league table, being ranked 4th in the Guardian University League Table 2020, 5th in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2019 and 8th in The UK Complete University Guide 2020.

 

Loughborough is consistently ranked in the top twenty of UK universities in the Times Higher Education’s ‘table of tables’ and is in the top 10 in England for research intensity. In recognition of its contribution to the sector, Loughborough has been awarded seven Queen's Anniversary Prizes.

 

The Loughborough University London campus is based on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and offers postgraduate and executive-level education, as well as research and enterprise opportunities. It is home to influential thought leaders, pioneering researchers and creative innovators who provide students with the highest quality of teaching and the very latest in modern thinking.

 

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