Asthma Inhaler Costs to Be Slashed as Drugmakers Introduce $35 Price Cap

By Madz Dizon

Jun 02 2024, 06:55 AM EDT

Asthma Inhaler Costs to Be Slashed as Drugmakers Introduce $35 Price Cap — Medical inhalers sit on a table as a prop as US President Joe Biden speaks about lowering healthcare costs in the Indian Treaty Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 3, 2024. JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images

A significant number of Americans will experience a decrease in the cost of asthma inhalers. This positive change is due to the implementation of new out-of-pocket price caps for asthma medications manufactured by AstraZeneca and Boehringer Ingelheim.

US Asthma Inhaler Prices Cut to $35

Three major pharmaceutical companies-AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, and GSK-have recently made a significant announcement regarding the pricing of their inhaler products. They have decided to cap the monthly cost at a reasonable $35, which is a positive step towards making these essential medications more affordable for patients.

President Joe Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders (I, Vermont) highlighted the issue of high prescription medication prices by hosting an event at the White House on Wednesday.

The focus was on urging corporations to reduce the cost of inhalers for asthma patients, aiming to alleviate the financial burden on those in need. Similar to insulin, the price of inhalers in the United States is considerably higher compared to other affluent nations.

A recent investigation by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions highlighted the significant price disparity between AstraZeneca's inhaler in the United States and the United Kingdom, NBC reported.

The report revealed that while the inhaler is priced at $49 in the UK, it is sold for $645 in the US. Teva Pharmaceuticals, a prominent inhaler manufacturer, sells their inhalers for $286 in the US, while the same inhaler is priced at $9 in Germany.

Inhaler Price Cap: AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, and GSK

Here are the inhalers that are impacted by the price cap:

Boehringer Ingelheim

Atrovent HFA (ipratropium bromide HFA) inhalation aerosol
Combivent Respimat (ipratropium bromide and albuterol) inhalation spray
Spiriva HandiHaler (tiotropium bromide inhalation powder)
Spiriva Respimat 1.25 mcg and 2.5 mcg (tiotropium bromide) inhalation spray
Stiolto Respimat (tiotropium bromide and olodaterol) inhalation spray
Striverdi Respimat (olodaterol) inhalation spray

GSK

Advair Diskus (fluticasone propionate along with salmeterol inhalation powder)
Advair HFA (fluticasone propionate along with salmeterol inhalation aerosol)
Anoro Ellipta (umeclidinium and vilanterol inhalation powder)
Arnuity Ellipta (fluticasone furoate inhalation powder)
Breo Ellipta (fluticasone furoate and vilanterol inhalation powder)
Incruse Ellipta (umeclidinium inhalation powder)
Serevent Diskus (salmeterol xinafoate inhalation powder)
Trelegy Ellipta (fluticasone furoate, umeclidinium, and vilanterol inhalation powder)
Ventolin HFA (albuterol sulfate inhalation aerosol)

AstraZeneca

AIRSUPRA (albuterol and budesonide)
Bevespi Aerosphere (glycopyrrolate and formoterol fumarate) inhalation aerosol
Breztri Aerosphere® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) inhalation aerosol
Symbicort (budesonide and formoterol fumarate dihydrate) inhalation aerosol