This comes from the Fresno Bee:
"Prices of the new inhalers are higher because there are no generic versions, said Nancy Asai, a pharmacist in Fresno, Calif. And that means higher insurance co-payments for the brand-name drugs. The new inhalers typically cost from $45 to $65, Asai said.
One brand of inhaler, ProAir HFA, is available for about $30 at some discount pharmacies. But the old generic albuterol inhalers cost less than that.
The hope is prices for the new inhalers will drop in the future, Asai said."
Our experts have written extensively about the new asthma inhalers.
The switch has come about because the old albuterol inhalers contained ozone-depleting CFCs. The old inhalers will be banned from use in the USA as of Dec. 31, 2008.
Find more information from our experts about the new inhalers:
Environmentally Friendly Propellants for Inhalers
The Asthma Gap: Another take on the Inhaler Changeover
New HFA Reliever Inhalers for Asthma: Things You Should Know
