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Maraya1969

(22,441 posts)
Wed Jul 20, 2016, 12:50 PM Jul 2016

This asthma drug used to really help me. Then they switched it. And now I find THIS out!

http://hsionline.com/2014/10/21/cromolyn-sodium/

Why is this safe and effective asthma drug no longer available?

Five years ago when the Intal inhaler was discontinued, many asthmatics were shocked.

It wasn’t discontinued for any safety reasons, complaints, or issues with the product.

Last week I told you about some frightening findings that the FDA just released about the asthma drug Xolair.

So asthmatics can’t get a safe med that we know works, but they can get one with reams of side effects and little benefit.

Just wait until you see why…

Cromolyn sodium, which was sold under the brand name Intal, had been on the market for a very long time, since 1968. Its use goes back to the old-fashioned “spinhaler” days. And it was safe and effective.

<snip>

The “story” was that Intal was being discontinued because King, couldn’t come up with a CFC-free inhaler device.

CFCs, or Freon, are gasses that were used as aerosol propellants, in air conditioners and refrigerators that were banned. And King said it wasn’t possible to come up with an alternative.

(I remember taking it as a pill that contained powder. When you put it into this little device it would put a tiny hole in the capsule which allowed you to then suck in the powder)

Could this be the real reason?

Shortly after King stopped making Intal available, the company was purchased by Pfizer. And all Pfizer would say about it is that Intal had been “discontinued.”

Pfizer probably didn’t want this safe and highly effective medication — one that asthmatics had used for decades — out there competing with its blockbuster patent drugs that are rife with side effects.

(The new asthma controllers have a lot of side effects that cause you to be more likely to die from an asthma attack)




Sources:
“Pfizer to acquire King Pharmaceuticals, Inc.” October 11, 2010, Pfizer press release,

There is a special kind of evil that does this sort of thing


14 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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think

(11,641 posts)
1. Teva claims to make a generic equivalent of Intal
Wed Jul 20, 2016, 01:11 PM
Jul 2016

Not sure if this would be helpful but it's suppose to be the generic version of Intal:

Cromolyn Sodium Inhalation Solution, USP
Generic of Intal® Nebulizer Solution


- See more at: https://www.tevagenerics.com/product/cromolyn-sodium-inhalation-solution-usp#sthash.WkhyxKkY.dpuf

sunnystarr

(2,638 posts)
12. No it's not the same delivery
Wed Jul 20, 2016, 04:48 PM
Jul 2016

It's a liquid form that you put into your nebulizer device then it steams up and you inhale the steam. The other operates like Spiriva -- an inhaler where you put in the capsule and it punctures it, then you inhale twice.

Maraya1969

(22,441 posts)
13. It seemed to me that the powder also made it what it was. Maybe because it coated my lungs while
Wed Jul 20, 2016, 10:45 PM
Jul 2016

a liquid would be quickly absorbed into the blood stream. (? Not sure) The question is why won't they make one in the powder form?

PatSeg

(46,804 posts)
2. When drug companies
Wed Jul 20, 2016, 02:07 PM
Jul 2016

did away with inexpensive and effective asthma medications, they replaced them with less effective inhalers that cost 3 or 4 times as much. They were not trying to help the environment, they were trying to make more money.

For those of us who have asthma, this was not a minor change. For some it was even life threatening.

tecelote

(5,122 posts)
4. Something about this makes me think of your recent post...
Wed Jul 20, 2016, 03:27 PM
Jul 2016

Monsanto Fingerprints Found all Over Attack on Organic Food

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028031002

Maybe it's the profit above humanity aspect.

PatSeg

(46,804 posts)
7. I really wasn't even thinking about that at the time
Wed Jul 20, 2016, 03:40 PM
Jul 2016

For me, it was a very real and personal experience. When I researched it, I found I was not alone. One woman's daughter actually died because the new medication did not work for her. I had to use two or three times more of it to get results and sometimes it didn't work at all.

There were petitions and letters to senators and congressional representatives, but all we got were some generic form letters in return. I received one from Diane Fienstein that was extremely condescending and dismissive.

Then in anticipation of the upcoming ACA, they raised the price of steroid inhalers from $75 to close to $300. Same medication, no explanation. The Pharmaceutical industry was making it very difficult for me to stay alive.

pnwmom

(108,925 posts)
3. A similar problem has occurred with Epipens. The sole remaining producer is charging skyrocketing
Wed Jul 20, 2016, 03:27 PM
Jul 2016

prices.

SCantiGOP

(13,856 posts)
5. Yet the GOP
Wed Jul 20, 2016, 03:27 PM
Jul 2016

Can't utter two sentences together without talking about how restrained and over-regulated American business is.
That's true if you only care about Corporate profits; bullshit if you actually care about people.

PatSeg

(46,804 posts)
8. They frame their over regulation
Wed Jul 20, 2016, 03:44 PM
Jul 2016

argument from the perspective of the poor struggling small business owner, but they are really protecting the large corporations who do not want to be constrained by those silly government rules. It is evidently effective, as they have been using the same argument for decades.

SCantiGOP

(13,856 posts)
10. You are right
Wed Jul 20, 2016, 03:53 PM
Jul 2016

About how effective their misinformation campaign is. I read an article just the other day about how effective Trump's message is with small business owners.

PatSeg

(46,804 posts)
11. They really take it to heart
Wed Jul 20, 2016, 03:57 PM
Jul 2016

A businessman once told my daughter that he had to be a republican because he was a businessman. I think she convinced him otherwise or least made a dent.

Historically republicans have not been good for the economy, so they can't be good for small business. I guess you can't always see the big picture, like the one where it is Exxon or Walmart getting the tax breaks, not Bill & Tom's Auto Supplies.

pansypoo53219

(20,906 posts)
6. capitalism under reagents became CRAPITALISM. ONLY PROFITS & WALL STREET NUMBERS MATTER.
Wed Jul 20, 2016, 03:40 PM
Jul 2016

fuck gpod business. send the jobs to china. the bottom can live on cheap credit.

mrmpa

(4,033 posts)
9. Read my post from January of this year.........
Wed Jul 20, 2016, 03:47 PM
Jul 2016

I highlighted what might be of interest..........

My 96 hour ordeal in getting a prescription for my 85 year old mom........ [View all]

This past Friday I took my mom for an appointment at the wound care center. She has a large open wound on her leg caused by vascular disease, she is not diabetic.

The Doctor prescribed "Santyl" and faxed it to a pharmacy they say gets it for their patients at usually about $40. It's not a pharmacy that I would go to, it is locally owned and has a good reputation, but it is a bit out of the way. I checked the price on goodrx.com and found the lowest price about $212 @ the local Walmart Pharmacy. So I figured the $40 cost was of course utilizing a person's insurance.

Now my mom has Pacenet (A Pennsylvania program for seniors with a certain income). Now this insurance is $40 a month, with $8 copays for generic medications and $15 for name brand. I do not allow my mother to utilize the Pacenet as most of her medications are never more than $25 for a 3 month supply and Pacenet does not allow for a 3 month supply to be dispensed. Mom understands this and knows that Pacenet is only to be used when she needs a name brand and the cost is very high. Which in this case we will use it. The cost to mom should be $80 ($40 for insurance premium for January & February) and $15 for the medicine.

I go to the pharmacy on Saturday, give them mom's Pacenet card and learn that Pennsylvania does not cover medications from this manufacturer. Now understand there is only one manufacturer of this drug, world wide. As the Doctor wrote the prescription for a volume of 60, mom will need 2 tubes of this ointment, so now the cost at this drug store is $500 (though it will match the Wallmart price). However $424 is still something my mom can't afford.

I go home do my research & find that there is another drug "xenaderm" which is similar to "Santyl" but at 25% of the cost, $62. I called the Doctor's office on Monday and was told that "xenaderm" is an excellent substitute and they called the prescription into the Walmart Pharmacy. Closer to me and $62 is the goodrx.com price at Walmart.

I called Pacenet offices and learned that the manufacturer of "Santyl" refuses to participate in the Pacenet Program. They gave me the name of the company that makes "Santyl" and I called that company, it was recently bought by another company. I told the company service representative, Martha, that I was not happy that they would not work with the PA program and that they were forcing many seniors to pay for medication that was too costly for those on a very fixed income. I was very nice and informed her that I would be letting my State Senator know about the unwillingness of this manufacturer to work with Pennsylvania.

After I get off the phone with Martha, the Doctor's office calls us & tells us that Walmart is having difficulty finding "xenaderm". I call the local pharmacy and ask if they can locate it, they check their distributor and they can't find it. I then do my research and learn that the manufacturer of "xenaderm" is the same manufacturer of "santyl".

I called Martha back, left a voice mail and told her I need to have "xenaderm" available in Pennsylvania, so my mom can get it. Martha promptly called me back and informed me that they discontinued manufacturing "xenaderm". The light bulb went off in my head. I incredulously asked "so you discontinued the less expensive medication (the medication that gets better consumer ratings) in order to sell only the more expensive drug? I continued with comparing her company to the NYC exec who upped the price on the $1.50 pill to $750. I continued with and you have the audactity not to work with insurance programs run by States." I also informed her that not only will my State Senator get an email about this, but also my US Senator will.

I called Walmart and told them that I learned that "xenaderm" is discontinued by the manufacturer. The Tech was great, she said to give her a few minutes to look something up. She directed me to the Santyl.com web page, where there is a coupon worth $50 toward the purchase of "Santyl" and the company will pick up the next $150. I called the local pharmacy and told them what I had learned. The pharmacist told me they could take the coupon but it would be about $200, since mom needed 2 tubes. I said no, I'll take one tube today, $50, I'll pick up the 2nd tube next week, $50. And that's what I did.

Doctor's office called this morning & said she ordered something with the Home Health Care Agency. I told her to rescind that order, as I had taken care of the matter and "Santyl" was in the house.

This was an ordeal that no one should have to go through. I'm 59 and it was a headache for me, I just wonder how many people my mother's age, don't have an advocate and paid full price for this drug. Also I don't see the $150 the company pays for this drug as "corporate care, or corporate giving back". I think that the drug's real cost is far from $500, it's just a price they wanted to charge for it. They don't have to research it, as it was developed by the company they bought out. I think this company just sees an uptake in the need for this ointment and is trying to make a quick buck.

If I sound cynical, I'll admit that I am.

Maraya1969

(22,441 posts)
14. You don't sound cynical. It is glaringly obvious that they bank on people not having someone like
Wed Jul 20, 2016, 10:57 PM
Jul 2016

you to do the research when they are prescribed these drugs.

Good for you for taking care of your mom. But I totally understand the toll it takes. I am about the same age as you and this shit gets real tiring.

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