FDA urges safety curbs to decrease use of 4 popular asthma drugs, citing lifethreatening risk

Cox News ^ | 2-18-10 | Associated Press

[cajuncow]

The government is taking steps to curb use of some long-acting asthma drugs used by millions, issuing safety restrictions Thursday to lower a life-threatening risk that asthma could worsen suddenly.

The Food and Drug Administration's warnings cover the drugs Advair, Symbicort, Foradil and Serevent. The FDA said they should be used only by asthmatics who can't control their lung disease with other medications _ and even then only for the shortest time possible.

[ConorMacNessa]

Bummer - I’ve been on Advair for years. It works.

[cajuncow]

I have a sister on it. Just sent her an email about this.

[SJSAMPLE]

I take it for seasonal (winter) asthma.
Good stuff, but PRICEY.

[HiTech RedNeck]

I wonder how much nanny is too much nanny here. Shouldn’t the onus be on the doctor to be sure the right medicines are prescribed and that the patient is told what to do with them to minimize the chance of a fatal asthma attack?

[shadeaud]

I've used Advair for over 4 years now and I'm waiting for the government control its’ usage demanding insurance companies to stop covering it( he's trying to kill off the elderly and the fetus's that are showing signs of abnormality. He's another Hitler with a tan.

[1scrappymom]

As an a person who suffers from asthma, I beginning to think the government hates us. First they ban the effective inhalers because it hurts the freaking ozone or something. Never mind the fact that it works best in delivering our meds, we should suffer for some stupid greenies. Now they are wanting me to stop Advair who works very well in stopping me from needing my emergency inhaler. Now they want me to take a steriod with it or instead? Pox on them and their households for all enternity. I’m allergic to steroids, they make me incredibly cranky and uncomfortable. I saw the stats. They’re worried about 3 in 10,000, so the rest of 9,997 of us should suffer?

I can’t think of anything else civil to say other than I wonder which Obama buddy owns stock in the other drugs they’ll be pushing?

[PennsylvaniaMom]

I take Singulair for my asthma (along with an antihistamine and Proventil as my rescue inhaler). I have used Singulair for about three years. It controls my symptoms fairly well (but cold winter air is a killer for me) and even my co-pay is pricey...When I go for my check ups, I have to be ‘counseled’ by my doctor on depression. Am I feeling sad, having dark thoughts, yada yada yada...and btw, how is the breathing thing going?

They are going to nanny us into carrying oxygen tanks!

[TChris]

Is our govt. still using the ozone canard??? REALLY?

I thought that particular fraud had been exposed and put down YEARS ago!

MAN I hate government liars!

[HiTech RedNeck]

A bunch of narrow minded pencil pushers. Your own doctor should be expected to know if you need to make any medication adjustments to save your life (even if it is only to keep a steroid handy at all times). My doctor knew about the scuttlebutt on Vioxx years before the gummit panicked and forced a total recall of the stuff (and it was a godsend to many).

[HiTech RedNeck]

The ozone is an old game. Evern since our feds agreed to ban the stuff that is theorized to endanger it, it’s been chased out of more and more applications.

[mlizzy]

Lots of people have found relief through the essential oils (by Young Living) R.C. and Frankincense for asthma. I use R.C. at night (diluted with a little with a carrier oil) and I sleep all the way through with no problem. And Frankincense I use all the time. It's a great oil for a number of issues. If you want to try these oils, remember to use only therapeutic essential oils. The others smell nice but will do nothing for healing your health. I've read that R.C. can stop an asthma attack in its tracks. I don't have any firsthand information on that though, but these oils have aided my health a great deal in a number of ways.

Oils from God

[HiTech RedNeck]

Just curious (I’ve never had asthma but it’s been great with chest colds) how plain old Vicks Vaporub would do?

[mlizzy]

Just curious (I’ve never had asthma but it’s been great with chest colds) how plain old Vicks Vaporub would do?

I used to use Vicks Vaporub, but after being introduced to R.C., I'm hooked. I've been able to throw away one prescription bottle already because of using essential oils, and I'm hopeful someday I'll be able to at least lessen the amount of chemicals I take for hyperthyroidism too. My doctor laughs at me, but I'm actually pulling better numbers after using Melissa Oil, so I hope I'll eventually have the last laugh. I do not have asthma, but at different times in my life, I've had difficulty breathing. I was given an inhaler by the doc, but have never had to use it. But I can't help but think R.C. would help people with asthma. I did used to wake up in the night short of breath, but that doesn't happen anymore after taking R.C. Frankincense (which will stop an older kid's emotional blow-up in its tracks -- I've witnessed it firsthand) is a great oil too and is recommended for folks with asthma. Good stuff the Lord puts on His earth!

[surrey]

I use Pulmicort and I swear it has changed my life. I was diagnosed in my 50’s with asthma and relied on my PCP. He had me on a variety of drugs but nothing seemed to control it. My daughter who was working as a drug rep urged me to visit an allergist. He said that he found Pulmicort had the best results with the least side affects. I haven’t had a scary episode in over 3 years. My rescue inhaler hasn’t been used at all. Cold weather was my nemesis too and I can go out an shovel snow without any problems. Knock wood, I’m symptom free and even the allergist is amazed with my progress.

[Cyber Liberty]

R.C? Whazzat? Radio Chicano?

[mlizzy]

I've never been able to find that out. I just call it really cool stuff, which I guess would be R.C.S., but here's the link to the essential oil.:)

R.C.

[GailA]

First they came for the Unborn...granny and any one who is chronically sick are next.

Rename, repackage, rewrite it a tad smaller, and sell another pig in a poke.

Tennessee has joined several other states in trying to pass a Health Care Freedom Act. NO COLAs for granny, retired Military or retired fed employees. BIG NEW fees for Tricare for Life retired over 65 Military's secondary health ins. (DOD bill already passed, delayed but goes into effect 2011)

New Dem mantra: Woof, woof eat dog food granny....ala let them eat cake.

Obama's War on Seniors

Socialized Med Thread

TRI CARE FOR LIFE This from a google search:

http://economicspolitics.blogspot.com/2009/05/tricare-for-life-is-obama-trying-to.html

This option would help reduce the costs of TFL, as well as costs for Medicare, by introducing minimum out-of pocket requirements for beneficiaries. Under this option, TFL would not cover any of the first $525 of an enrollee’s cost-sharing liabilities for calendar year 2011 and would limit coverage to 50 percent of the next $4,725 in Medicare cost sharing that the beneficiary incurred. (Because all further cost sharing would be covered by TFL, enrollees could not pay more than $2,888 in cost sharing in that year.)

http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/99xx/doc9925/12-18-HealthOptions.pdf

http://www.vawatchdog.org/09/hcva09/hcva110609-1.htm

Bill Would Restrict Veterans’ Health Care Options 11/06/09

Buyer and McKeon Offer Amendments to Protect Veterans and TRICARE Beneficiaries

Congress plans to block Tricare fee increases
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/10/military_tricarefees_blocked_100709w

By Rick Maze - Staff writer, Oct 7, 2009

Tricare fee increases imposed last week by the Defense Department will be repealed by a provision of the compromise 2010 defense authorization bill unveiled Wednesday by House and Senate negotiators.

Snip

The fee increases were announced on Sept. 30 and took effect on Oct. 1, but the defense bill, HR 2647, includes a provision barring any fee increases until the start of fiscal 2011.

Snip

Retired Army Maj. Gen. Bill Matz, president of the National Association for Uniformed Services, said the announcement of fee increases was shocking considering that the Obama administration promised earlier this year to hold off on any new fee Tricare fee increases until fiscal 2011.

“President Obama and DoD assured NAUS and the entire military family earlier this year that there would rightly be no increases in any Tricare fees” in fiscal 2010, Matz said. “We took them at their word, and I can’t believe that a co-pay increase like this was allowed to go forward,” he added.

Bambi doesn't keep his promises...so buyer beware.

[algernonpj]

I wonder how much nanny is too much nanny here. Shouldn’t the onus be on the doctor to be sure the right medicines are prescribed and that the patient is told what to do with them to minimize the chance of a fatal asthma attack?

This is an example of the nanny state squared.

The FDA in conjunction with the EPA over rode a medical exception for asthma inhalers using CFC propellants, and mandated new propellants. The producers of the new propellants spent millions to have NGO's such as the Lung Association, not advocate for asthmatics, but 'educate' about using the new inhalers properly.

The CFC inhalers were introduced IIRC the 1950's. They were for people with asthma somewhat like what insulin was for people for diabetes. Small sturdy canisters allowed a large number of asthmatics to lead normal/ near normal lives.

Steroid inhalers prevented asthma attacks, and minimized the nasty side affects of steroid medications. Emergency inhalers allowed asthmatics to go out in public, engage in sports, all knowing that relief from an unexpected exposure was a few puffs away. The canisters required no maintenance, and could be carried about in your pocket or purse, left in your glove compartment or desk drawer.

15,000 compounds were checked before the new HFA propellants were chosen. The FDA overrode its own safety testing and follow up procedures to rush release of the HFA propellants. Most tests were on animals. The only human testing was on a handful of people with very mild asthma. No testing was done on people with other lung diseases, e.g. emphysema.

The new HFA propellants require one to take deeper breathes that the CFC ones which automatically delivered medication deep into the lungs. Now remember this is for medication being taken by people who can't breathe well! (Do I need a sarcasm tag here?)

In addition, all but one of the new HFA inhalers include ethnol, a known asthma trigger for many. The ethanol is made from corn; many with asthma also have food allergies.

The new inhalers have a limited lifespan once the package is opened. They require maintenance because they are prone to clogging. (An interesting characteristic for 'emergency' inhalers.)

An array of various particulates are inhaled into the lung along with the medication because the new propellants are prone to corroding the seals inside the canister.

The new HFA inhalers work for some, don't work as well for many, and for people like me cause a massive asthma attack.

If I were to guess as to why so many people are routinely using inhalers with Long Acting Beta Antigonists, I would say part of the reason is the poor quality of the new HFA propellants has resulted in poor asthma control. (An interesting aside three of the medications listed are in powdered for, no HFA. I have met many with asthma who con't tolerate the new HFA propellants, and switched to Advair.)

The change to HFA propellants was all based on 'ozone hole' junk science. The powers that be have now decided the new HFA inhalers produce greenhouse gases, and are currently looking for a replacement for them.

For more info

[algernonpj]

... and any one who is chronically sick are next

Yup ... see my post below.

Reminds me of an older TV series Alien Nation in which an alien slave ship crashes on earth. The slaves were all bred to be physically sturdy and pacified by a special drug, therefore no trouble to their masters.

Alien Nation