Are you a kind of households racing to seek out new bronchial asthma drugs as respiratory virus season approaches?
The Massachusetts Division of Public Health is making an attempt to assist sufferers and households entry the most effective choices for well timed and efficient bronchial asthma care — particularly after two frequent bronchial asthma drugs have been discontinued.
The 2 inhaled therapies — Flovent HFA and Flovent Diskus, two of probably the most generally used controller drugs for bronchial asthma — have been discontinued by producer GlaxoSmithKline.
Regardless of efforts throughout Massachusetts, many residents proceed to expertise the results of the availability chain disruption this has prompted. Remedy shortages for various meds have been reported.
The scenario has been made worse by variable prescription drug protection, and steep out-of-pocket affected person copays for some various drugs.
“When there are large shifts in availability of key asthma medications, like we have seen surrounding the discontinuation of Flovent products, many families are impacted,” DPH Commissioner Robbie Goldstein mentioned in a press release. “This is especially true for Black and Brown communities, which already experience a higher burden of asthma.
“With the respiratory virus season approaching, it is important for communities to come together to promote vaccination and prevent disease,” Goldstein added.
The autumn and winter season usually brings a rise in bronchial asthma exacerbations in Massachusetts. Throughout this time, circulating respiratory sicknesses — resembling flu, RSV, and COVID — can probably set off bronchial asthma signs or make ongoing signs worse.
Controller drugs, also called each day upkeep drugs, are a vital device for managing bronchial asthma — lowering each day signs and lowering the danger of bronchial asthma exacerbations, asthma-related emergency division visits, hospitalizations, and loss of life.
Whereas bronchial asthma fatalities are uncommon in Massachusetts, particularly amongst kids, sufferers with extreme persistent bronchial asthma or uncontrolled bronchial asthma are at the next threat of asthma-related loss of life, notably throughout seasonal spikes in bronchial asthma.
“A generic version of Flovent (fluticasone propionate) and other clinically appropriate alternative medications do exist,” DPH wrote in its advisory to sufferers and caregivers. “You may be prescribed a medication that you are not familiar with. The medication may be a different dose or a different inhaler device from what you are used to — talk with your provider if you have questions or concerns.”
