Press Release  With respiratory season arrival, DPH reminds patients and providers of alternatives to discontinued asthma medication

Boston — As Massachusetts enters fall and winter respiratory virus season, the Department of Public Health is sharing resources to help patients, families, providers and pharmacists identify and access the best options for timely and effective asthma care, particularly in the wake of the discontinuation of two commonly used inhaled treatments—Flovent® HFA and Flovent® Diskus by manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). 

The fall and winter season typically brings an increase in asthma exacerbations in Massachusetts¹. During this time, circulating respiratory illnesses, such as flu, RSV, and COVID increase, can potentially trigger asthma symptoms or make ongoing symptoms worse. 

Key Information

For Patients and Caregivers:

• A generic version of Flovent® (fluticasone propionate) and other clinically appropriate alternative medications do exist.
• 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.  

For Providers:

• Reach out to your patients to be sure they are aware of any medication changes and discuss the clinically appropriate alternatives that are available. Provide culturally informed asthma education to patients, especially related to new medications and delivery devices.
• Learn more on this 2020 Focused Updates to the Asthma Management Guidelines: Clinician’s Guide (nih.gov).

For Pharmacists:

• Depending on patient insurance status and insurance type, out-of-pocket costs for clinically appropriate alternative medications can vary widely. This includes wide variability in costs of brand and generic medications (i.e., Symbicort®, Breyna®, and generic budesonide/formoterol, which are therapeutically identical.)
• Work with providers to navigate the complexities of insurance benefits to support patients in accessing affordable and effective asthma medications. 
• Communicate with healthcare providers if patients face barriers to filling prescriptions for asthma controller medications, particularly if the cost of these medications is difficult for patients to afford.

Learn more about the Flovent discontinuation and alternate medications on this What to Know About Flovent Discontinuation fact sheet.

Continued Impact of Flovent Discontinuation

The discontinuation of Flovent has led to ongoing shortages of alternative medications. The situation has been made worse by variable prescription drug coverage and steep out-of-pocket patient copays for some alternative medications. Disruptions in the availability of affordable asthma controller medications more broadly are impacting many patients and families, especially among communities with already existing barriers to accessing care. 

To build toward an equitable system and effectively respond to the current system, providers, pharmacists, caregivers, and patients with asthma need to be informed about this situation and work together to support those with asthma and their families so they can access asthma medications and manage their asthma. In response, MassHealth has also continued to adapt to this challenging situation with expanded coverage to support patients. 

“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. This is especially true for Black and Brown communities, which already experience a higher burden of asthma,” said DPH Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD. “With the respiratory virus season approaching, it is important for communities to come together to promote vaccination and prevent disease."   

###