Amid the start of a new year, thousands of asthma patients are in for an inconvenient transition as popular asthma inhaler Flovent is being discontinued by manufacturer GSK starting on Jan. 1, and its replacement, which is an identical “authorized generic” version of the medication, lacks coverage from most insurance companies.
“The authorized generic contains the same medicine, in the same familiar device, and with the same instructions for use as Flovent HFA,” said GSK in a written statement to TheStreet.
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Even though GSK also highlights in the statement that the authorized generic version can “potentially be a lower cost alternative to patients,” patients may experience increased copays and prior authorizations that can delay access to the medication as a chunk of insurers do not view the medication as a “preferred treatment,” according to a recent report from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The move from GSK comes after the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act removed a cap on Medicaid rebates that pharmaceutical companies are required to pay if the price of their medicines go up more than inflation, which will go into effect on Jan. 1 next year.
The price of Flovent has increased by roughly 47% in the past nine years, according to data from GoodRx. This means that if GSK continued to manufacture the drug at hiked prices, the company could be subject to paying high penalties.
The discontinuation of Flovent on Jan. 1 also lines up with cold and flu season which are two respiratory illnesses that are some of the most common causes of asthma flare-ups. The medicine was widely used by patients to help guard them against flare-ups by reducing inflammation in the airways.
The 2023 and 2024 winter season in particular is kicking off on a rocky note due to a recent spike in respiratory illnesses across the country, according to a Dec. 14 health advisory alert from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This can be a significant challenge to people who suffer from asthma, which affects about 1 in 12 people in the U.S.
“In the past 4 weeks, hospitalizations among all age groups increased by 200% for influenza, 51% for COVID-19, and 60% for RSV,” said the CDC in the health advisory.
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