Apr 27, 2018

Philips equips asthma and allergy sufferers with air quality forecast in collaboration with Air Matters

Petaling Jaya, Malaysia – Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) a global leader in health technology, is helping parents take charge of their children’s asthma and allergy symptoms through awareness initiatives in more than 20 countries worldwide.;

Asthma and allergies in children is prevalent globally, with research showing that 14% of children worldwide (under the age of 18) experience asthma symptoms¹, while 1 in 8 children globally suffer from allergic rhinitis (such as hay fever)². In more than 80% of children, their asthma is allergic and gets triggered by allergens³ (such as pollen, house dust, mould or flakes of skin from pets). Parents know that asthma and allergies can complicate even the simplest activities for their children, as these respiratory conditions can leave them feeling run down, uncomfortable and even upset. In Malaysia, more than 15.5% of children have one or more allergies⁴ while 50% of children with asthma risk are wheezing due to asthma by the age of 6 years. Worse, of the two million asthma sufferers of all ages in Malaysia, 90% of the cases are not properly controlled and treated⁵.

At Philips, we understand parents of children with asthma and allergies want to ensure that they are comfortable so that they can get on with normal day-to-day life. We work with globally-renowned experts in the field of asthma and allergy, and our range of air solutions have been carefully designed to help parents better manage the triggers that may aggravate their child’s symptoms. At Philips, we believe in using our innovations to improve lives in the ways that matter most. Whether equipping parents with the information they need to limit the impact of respiratory conditions on their child’s day-to-day activities, or giving them the tools to improve indoor air quality, we want to help parents create a safe and healthy haven for their family with our air purifiers.

Muhammad Ali Jaleel

Country Manager for Philips Malaysia

The Air Matters app

Breathing good quality air makes a substantial difference for asthma and allergy sufferers. For better awareness of air quality, Philips is collaborating with Air Matters, a free app which can be used around the world. Monitoring in real time from more than 10,000 monitoring stations in over 50 countries enables the app to provide information on indoor and outdoor air quality, including outdoor pollutant levels, with a 7-day air quality forecast. The app also allows users to regulate the settings and the speed of their Philips air purifier, and provides information on its filter status.

Philips Air Cleaner Series 3000i (AC3259/30)

Simple, everyday activities like vacuuming, making the bed in the morning and patting down cushions can cause dust and allergens to rise up and move around the home. The Philips Air Cleaner Series 3000i (AC3259/30) removes 99.97% of airborne allergens including pollen, house dust mites and pet dander, to help decrease their impact.

Combining AeraSense and VitaShield IPS technologies, the Philips Air Cleaner series 3000i allows you to accurately monitor and improve the quality of your indoor air. The AeraSense particle sensor detects even a slight change in the air and ensures the purifier’s settings are adjusted to reduce airborne allergens while the VitaShield IPS technology uses natural filtration to collect and retain many contaminants, leaving indoor air cleaner. It also gives real time feedback thanks to its Indoor Allergen Index, which on a scale of 1 – 12 indicates how high or low the allergen risk is in the home. Additionally, it can kill up to 99.97% of most common airborne allergens, and 99.9%⁶ of viruses (H1N1) and bacteria that pass through the purifier – so you know that you and your family are breathing purer air.

The Philips Air Cleaner Series 3000i has 3 automatic purification settings: a General mode, an extra-sensitive Allergen mode, and an extra-powerful Bacteria and Virus mode. In addition to the 3 auto modes, the purifier also has 5 manual modes. Choose one of five different speed settings: from the extra-quiet ‘Sleep’ mode to the extra-powerful ‘Turbo Speed’ mode. Control your air purifier from anywhere with the connected with the Air Matters app. Turn on the air purifier, change the fan speed or check your filter lifetime – it can all be done. Use the Air Matters app to check your indoor and outdoor air quality. The dashboard gives you one simple overview to check your outdoor air quality and pollen levels, and your indoor air quality which is constantly tracked by your purifier. Based on the indoor and outdoor air quality and pollen levels, the app gives you advice to help you manage your exposure to allergen or bad air.

Pricing and availability

The Philips Air Cleaner Series 3000i (AC3259/30) is available at a retail price of RM2,599 at the Philips Brand Store in Publika Shopping Gallery and The Gardens Mid Valley, both in Kuala Lumpur, and in Sutera Mall, Johor Bahru; at the Philips Experience Store in Menara Axis, Petaling Jaya; at retail partners and distributor stores nationwide, and online via the Philips Online Shop at http://www.shop.philips.com.my/.

For more information on the Philips range of products, visit www.philips.com.my.

¹www.globalasthmareport.org/burden/burden.php

² Pols DH et al. Interrelationships between Atopic Disorders in Children: A Meta-Analysis Based on ISAAC Questionnaires. 2015 Jul 2;10(7)

³ http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/68361/WHO_NMH_MNC_CRA_03.2.pdf)

⁴World Allergy Organization (WAO) White Book on Allergy: Update 2013, http://www.worldallergy.org/UserFiles/file/WhiteBook2-2013-v8.pdf

⁵ http://www.asthmamalaysia.org/

⁶ Data obtained from Microbial Reduction Rate Test performed at the Intertek microbiology lab in Columbus, Ohio. Tests have not started yet for this purifier specifically. However, in tests, VitaShield IPS reduces 99.9% of bacteria and viruses in 1 hour. A Microbial Reduction Rate Test was performed at the Intertek microbiology lab in Columbus, Ohio. The samples were received on April 27, 2012. The Philips AC4072 air purifier was tested for its ability to reduce the number of microorganisms aspirated into a 411.4 cu ft test room. The AC4072 showed a 99.9% reduction of virus MS2 and bacteria B. subtilis from natural decay after 1 hour. Report no. 100815892COL-001, July 30, 2012

About Royal Philips

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips generated 2018 sales of EUR 18.1 billion and employs approximately 78,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found at www.philips.com/newscenter.

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