Earlier this year, drugmaker GSK stopped making the asthma inhaler Flovent (fluticasone)—which was available as a metered-dose inhaler (Flovent HFA) and a dry powder inhaler (Flovent Diskus). Instead, the company opted to produce its own authorized generic version of fluticasone. However, with the manufacturing change, patients are experiencing insurance barriers and delays in getting their prescriptions filled, according to NPR. It’s especially concerning for children under age 5 who may not have many asthma inhaler options. GSK’s Flovent patents have expired, therefore, the drug could be ripe for generic competition. But a generic brought to market by another manufacturer would have cost even more, so the plan was scrapped, according to the report. Meanwhile, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia reported that admissions to intensive care for children with asthma were up 50% in March and April compared to last year, although the precise cause of the increase cannot be specifically tied to access to fluticasone.
Finding new options: According to Harvard Health Publishing, patients may need to be switched to different treatment options to solve fluticasone access issues, such as inhaled steroids or combination inhalers.