Using Sensors to Measure Drug Concentrations in Exhaled Breath

The use of blood tests to measure drug concentrations in psychiatric patients is often a crucial part of monitoring and evaluating the course of treatment. Such tests are commonly conducted as part of official protocols, and patients are often tested on a weekly basis. The current study aims to examine the possibility of using a novel, non-invasive device to measure drug concentrations in exhaled breath as an alternative to blood tests. The device, SniffPhone, uses sensors to detect and measure volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath, and features a small and portable design. Sniff Phone has been previously approved for use in clinical trials and has been used successfully to screen for particular types of cancer and other diseases.