Feeling more and more like the nation’s healthcare piggy bank? Shaken, pinched and poked at every turn? No wonder! The Kaiser Foundation reports insurance premiums soared a whopping 131 percent in the last decade. Commercial insurance and government payers are shifting healthcare costs onto consumers faster than Farmer Dell can ring the dinner bell. And to some enterprising allergy and asthma businesses, that spells opportunity!

Don’t go running wee, wee, wheezing all the way home! We’ve got work to do! Read the rest of this entry »

After more than 50 years on the market, Primatene® Mist, the only nonprescription bronchodilator inhaler, will no longer be manufactured, sold or distributed in the United States as of Dec. 31, 2011. Why not? Because Primatene Mist, which is inhaled epinephrine, contains chlorofluorcarbon (CFC) propellants.

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Kelsey never leaves home without it – her auto-injectable epinephrine, that is. In fact she always has two. You see, Kelsey is allergic to peanuts and while she does everything she can to avoid being exposed to them, she knows that accidents happen, Read the rest of this entry »

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Dulera®  (mometasone furoate and formoterol fumarate dehydrate) Inhalation Aerosol (Merck & Co.) for patients 12 years and older. Dulera combines an inhaled corticosteroid with a long-acting bronchodilator. It is available in a metered-dose inhaler with a dose counter. Dulera is not indicated for the relief of acute bronchospasm. Read the rest of this entry »

Recent news reports have presented patients with conflicting and confusing information about EpiPen Auto-Injector and a so-called generic version. These articles contain information that is inaccurate, inflammatory and, in some instances, dangerous. Read the rest of this entry »

“With today’s news, we are able to reassure patients of the safety of these medications when used according to newly clarified label instructions Read the rest of this entry »

A look at how and why to use nasal sprays

Nasal asthma. Ever heard of it? Probably not, because I just made it up. Before you thumb your nose at the idea, consider that the nose and lower airways are all part of the respiratory pathway and share similar immune responses to allergens, irritants and viruses. And while it is possible to have one condition without the other, for many of us, nasal symptoms (rhinitis) usually herald the onset of asthma symptoms to come.

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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that seven more metered dose inhalers (MDIs) containing ozone-depleting propellants will be phased out. 

Four of the medications have already been discontinued: Tilade, Intal, Azmacort and Alupent; and two of the remaining three have a small market share: Aerobid and MaxAir. Combivent is used by patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and by some patients who have both COPD and asthma. 

The phase-out dates for each of these can be read here: http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm208302.htm. [^] 

We expect that an Aerobid HFA replacement will be approved prior to its phase-out. We expect the same for Combivent. 

Visit our website, http://www.aanma.org, for more news and updates from AANMA. Thank you.

By Laurie Ross
Ivory-tower research studies say that metered-dose inhalers (when used correctly either with or without a valved holding chamber) are just as effective as nebulizers at getting medication deep into your airways. However, many of you have told us otherwise: Inhalers are great when you’re out and about, but if you’re under the weather and feeling short of breath, there’s nothing more therapeutic than inhaling the cool, medicated mist of your trusty nebulizer. Read the rest of this entry »

Metered-dose inhalers are more complicated than swallowing a pill – but, if used properly, they put the medication right where it is needed and can go to work quickly:  the airways of the lungs Read the rest of this entry »