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Bedfont Scientific Ltd based in Harrietsham, Kent, aims to expand its Gastrolyzer range across the UK and Ireland with the help of new distributor Kebomed.

Bedfont Scientific, a leading manufacturer of exhaled breath monitors, are proud to introduce Kebomed as the new distributor for its Gastrolyzer range throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland. Kebomed will become the 74th member of Bedfont’s exclusive diagnostics distributor network; a structure which has led to much success for Bedfont.

The Gastrolyzer range uses breath analysis to measure levels of Methane, Hydrogen and Oxygen and can accurately detect a range of gastrointestinal (GI) disorders such as Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) or food intolerances such as lactose or fructose intolerance. The Gastrolyzer range is also commonly used in the investigation of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), a disorder which affects 23 per cent of people worldwide. The success of the Gastrolyzer range is due to the innovative way in which it can help detect GI disorders; its non-invasive manner and instant results are unlike more traditional methods which can take up to two weeks to diagnose.

Matthew Skinner, Gastrolyzer Product Manager at Bedfont, says,

“We always welcome the opportunity to start new collaborations with new distributors; Kebomed have the knowledge of the industry and share our belief in the importance of Gastrointestinal services. We welcome Kebomed into our fold and hope that this new relationship helps us to further strengthen our coverage of the Gastrolyzer range throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland”.

Pardeep Rai, GI Sales Director at Kebomed, says, 

“We aim to use our knowledge of the GI market to increase the Gastrolyzer’s portfolio in the UK and Ireland, and look forward to this opportunity leading to growth for both companies”.  

Bedfont Scientific Limited has created a subsidiary as part of its long term development and expansion plans. The new company NOxBOX Limited will concentrate on its hugely successful range of Inhaled Nitric Oxide monitoring systems.

Bedfont Scientific Limited, established in 1976 in Harrietsham, Kent, specialises in exhaled breath and gas monitors which are used in the medical industry. The NOxBOX range was introduced by Bedfont in 1992 and is used to deliver and monitor inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) therapy.

iNO therapy is mainly used in intensive care units (ICU) to aid in the therapeutic care of premature babies and patients under severe respiratory distress. Using iNO therapy allows the blood supply to pick up oxygen from the lungs more readily by dilating the pulmonary arteries, making it the ideal method of treatment for pulmonary hypertension and other conditions that can lead to severe breathing difficulties. It is also the only iNO therapy monitor that can be used during transport, making it ideal for ambulances.

The new subsidiary company will focus on increasing awareness of the NOxBOX product and associated healthcare benefits to improve market share in the UK, Europe and further develop its customer base across the global market, while its parent company Bedfont Scientific will concentrate on developing new products and increasing use of its wide range of existing breath and gas monitoring systems.

Jason Smith, Bedfont Scientific’s General Manager, says,

“The success of the NOxBOX range has led us to what we feel is a natural progression that will further ensure the continued high levels of quality and service for our customers.

“Our aim for NOxBOX Limited is to grow the customer base globally, continuing to save lives, one breath at a time.”

Giving up smoking is one of the most popular New Year’s Resolutions and every year on January 1, millions of people around the world make themselves a promise to somehow improve their lives or do something they’ve always wanted, but never have. However, while 22 percent of the UK population resolved to quit in January 2015 [1], the average time before they went back to smoking was just 24 days [2].

The new iCO Smokerlyzer is the latest CO monitor from Bedfont Scientific for use in smoking cessation. Through a simple, non-invasive breath test this monitor can measure the harmful levels CO in the blood caused by smoking, acting as a motivational tool to help quit. Statistics from the Health & Social Care Information Centre found that in the UK between April and June 2015, 72 percent of those who quit smoking had their results confirmed through CO verification [3].

A recent study by Grant et al. (2015) looked at CO testing within Stop Smoking Services (SSS). In their findings, one client highlighted that CO monitoring was one of the most useful elements of the SSS he received, “one of the most useful things I found about it was the CO readings every week…you know, you can’t fool a machine, so it’s difficult to fool yourself then” [4].  With CO monitoring already acting as a highly motivational tool, the ability to monitor your CO from a more comfortable environment like your home shows promise for the iCO.

The iCO Smokerlyzer plugs into the headphone slot of your device and is used in conjunction with the Smokerlyzer app. Instant readings can be downloaded to a personal profile, allowing users to track their progress, and be motivated to quit smoking, anytime, anywhere. What’s more, progress can be shared with smoking cessation advisors, fellow quitters, friends and family.

Dominic Finn, Chief Technology Officer at North 51 Healthware, comments,

“The new iCO Smokerlyzer presents a brilliant opportunity for Smoking Cessation Services to work even closer with clients whilst trying to quit smoking. Clients can track their own quit attempts and the data can be pushed to our QuitManager product to help Advisers flag those smokers that need the most support.”

REFERENCES
[1] Supplymanagement.com, (2015). Supply Management | The procurement and supply website. [online] Available at: http://www.supplymanagement.com/blog/2015/01/what-are-the-uks-top-10-new-years-resolutions-for-2015 [Accessed 30 Nov. 2015].
[2] Withnall, A. (2014). Poll reveals ‘Fail Friday’ as the day you are most likely to break. [online] The Independent. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/poll-reveals-fail-friday-as-the-day-you-are-most-likely-to-break-your-new-years-resolution-9034571.html [Accessed 30 Nov. 2015].
[3] Hscic.gov.uk, (2015). Find data – Health & Social Care Information Centre. [online] Available at: http://www.hscic.gov.uk/catalogue/PUB18749 [Accessed 30 Nov. 2015].
[4] Grant, A., Ashton, K. and Phillips, R. (2015) Foucualt, Surveillance, and Carbon Monoxide Testing within Stop Smoking Services. Qualitative Health Research. Vol.25 (7) 912-922.

Kent-based Bedfont Scientific, has launched UK production of its iCO™ Smokerlyzer® to be shipped worldwide.

Bedfont Scientific Ltd, based in Kent, has been in the business of breath analysis and gas monitoring for almost 40 years now. Their name is well known throughout the medical industry thanks to their high quality breath analysers. They have several products including the Gastrolyzer range, which offers a non-invasive method to diagnose food intolerances and gastrointestinal disorders; the NObreath FENO monitor, which aids in the management & treatment of respiratory diseases, helping to differentiate between respiratory conditions such as asthma and COPD; and the Smokerlyzer range, a carbon monoxide (CO) monitor that is a motivational tool for smoking cessation. Most recently, Bedfont Scientific has launched the iCO™ Smokerlyzer®, the world’s first Smokerlyzer CO monitor for your smartphone or tablet.

Jason Smith, Bedfont’s General Manager, comments,

“We have traditionally manufactured our high volume products in China and thanks to the Manufacturing Advisory Service, this is the first of the range to be built here in Kent.  The iCO Smokerlyzer is proudly designed, manufactured, assembled, packaged and distributed here in Kent. This will undoubtedly provide greater control over quality and supply; bringing benefits to both companies. Bedfont had a forty percent increase in sales turnover in the past two years with seventy-eight percent of turnover being generated from exports. We predict that a homecare breath CO monitor will greatly increase exports, especially since our main target is the USA, which has huge demand for consumer healthcare devices.”

The product launch and UK production is expected to further boost exports to the company’s worldwide range of clients. Bedfont Scientific is a National Champion for Exporting, and an Export Category nominee in the European Business Awards.

Bedfont Scientific, based in Kent, a leading manufacturer of breath testing equipment in the UK releases the latest CO monitor for use with smartphones and tablets, to help people stop smoking.

Quitting smoking has never been easy, but it is a habit that more and more  people are trying to give up, especially with more laws than ever before banning smoking in public places and now in the UK from October 2015 in cars.

Bedfont Scientific Ltd, a pioneer in smoking cessation monitors, has combined the drive to quit smoking with the ever-growing use of technology and applications to create the latest CO monitor that connects to your smartphone or tablet. Bedfont has produced the Smokerlyzer® for 30  years which offers an easy to use hand-held and non-invasive way to test the level of Carbon Monoxide (CO) in a patient’s blood. They recognise that mobile phones and tablets play a significant part in consumers’ lives and wanted to adapt the technology so that CO monitoring could be more accessible to those who do not have the time to consult a specialist, and so iCO was born.

Due to be launched November 2015, the iCO Smokerlyzer is small, sleek and portable. Once you have the app, the monitor is easy to use and instant readings can be downloaded to your personal profile, meaning you can track your progress, and be motivated, anytime, anywhere. Using a monitor to assist with quitting is proven to improve end results.

A study by  Beard and West (2012) on the effectiveness of personal carbon monoxide monitoring, found that out of ten smokers, “seven of the smokers reported that they felt as though the monitors had reduced their cigarette consumption… Six smokers reported a lower nicotine dependency relative to baseline. Over the six weeks there appeared to be a significant decline in the number of cigarettes smoked per day”.

Beard, E. and West, R. (2012). Pilot Study of the Use of Personal Carbon Monoxide Monitoring to Achieve Radical Smoking Reduction. J. Smok Cessat, 7(01), pp.12-17. (Accessed: 19th October 2015).

The iCO offers consumers the opportunity to save money, and take control of their quitting progress, one breath at a time.