When Jacqueline Vakil needed a refill for Flovent, her 4-year-old son’s asthma medicine, she was met with an alarming roadblock. The drugmaker GSK had stopped making the popular inhaler in January. This unexpected change sent Vakil and many others on a desperate search for alternatives, which had significant impacts on their health and well-being.
The Struggle for Alternatives
Vakil’s journey to find a replacement for Flovent was fraught with frustration. Initially, her insurance provider refused to cover the alternative drug suggested by their doctor. This left her in a difficult position, spending hours on the phone with medical professionals and insurance companies. Meanwhile, her son James suffered from constant, disruptive coughing.
“I felt helpless,” Vakil recalls. Despite trying various home remedies like Vicks VapoRub and humidifiers, James’s condition did not improve. It took seven weeks of persistent effort before his pediatrician, Dr. Joannie Yeh, found a suitable and covered alternative medication.
Widespread Impact
Vakil’s experience is far from unique. Trey Currie, a 9-year-old from Philadelphia, faced a similar crisis. When Flovent was discontinued, his mother, Shante Currie, struggled to find a replacement. In late April, Trey suffered a severe asthma attack, leading to a two-day stay in the ICU at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
“You could see his ribs because he was struggling so hard to breathe,” Shante recalls. The hospital’s doctors worked tirelessly to find an alternative medication covered by insurance before Trey could be discharged.
Broader Consequences
The discontinuation of Flovent has had far-reaching effects. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia reported a 50% increase in intensive care admissions for children with asthma in March and April compared to the previous year. Tragically, at least seven children in the Philadelphia region have died this year due to uncontrolled asthma.
“When asthma deaths are preventable, one kid … dying is just one too many,” said Dr. Tyra Bryant-Stephens, the medical director of the community asthma prevention program at the hospital.
