AstraZeneca will set the maximum amount patients have to pay at $35 for all its inhaler products, the company declared on Monday.
Starting from June 1, the restriction will be in place for the company’s complete range of inhaler products used for treating asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which includes Symbicort, Breztri Aerosphere, and Airsupra. This limit will be applicable for uninsured or underinsured patients.
The announcement comes after a similar step by competitor Boehringer Ingelheim and is happening at a time when Democratic lawmakers are closely examining the cost of inhalers.
The companies are also under scrutiny from federal regulators for engaging in practices that hinder the arrival of lower-cost generics in the market.
The Federal Trade Commission recently questioned over 100 patents that were inaccurately listed in the Food and Drug Administration’s database of patent and exclusivity information, which includes five of AstraZeneca’s patents for its successful inhaler Symbicort.
The company mentioned that it decreased the listed price of Symbicort at the beginning of this year.
The change is occurring at a time when there is growing attention and disapproval regarding the cost of inhalers. The four major manufacturers — Boehringer Ingelheim, AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, and Teva — are currently being looked into by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and other Democrats for charging Americans much more than what consumers overseas pay for the same products. According to data on pricing provided by lawmakers, the Breztri Aerosphere inhaler from AstraZeneca costs $645 in the U.S. but only $49 in the U.K.
“We are committed to addressing the need for affordable medicines, but the system is intricate and we cannot handle it on our own. It is crucial for Congress to bring together important stakeholders to help reform the healthcare system so that patients can afford the medicines they need, not only at present, but also in the future,” stated CEO Pascal Soriot.
Sen. Sanders stated that he has had discussions with the CEOs of all the companies since the investigation began and urged GlaxoSmithKline and Teva to take similar steps.
In a statement, Sanders mentioned that if AstraZeneca and Boehringer Ingelheim can limit the cost of inhalers to $35 in the United States, these other companies can do the same.
AstraZeneca will set the maximum amount patients have to pay at $35 for all its inhaler products, the company declared on Monday. The restriction will be in place starting from June 1 and will apply to the company’s complete range of inhaler products used for treating asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which includes Symbicort, Breztri Aerosphere, and Airsupra. This limit will be applicable for…
