Poor Folks in the U.S. Can No Longer Afford Treatment for Pneumonia

[nenagh]

30. Hi passiveporcupine.. In Ontario albuterol is called salbutamol , brand name is Ventolin.

Around 2003, because of new legislation, we in pharmacies were required to change to the CFC free propellant product.

But ALL brands of Salbutamol (albuterol) Metered Dose Inhalers changed formulation including BOTH the brand name Ventolin and two generic brands... all with the new HFA inhalant.

I find it nearly hard to believe that in the USA, there is not a generic brand of albuterol Metered Dose Inhaler.. because it has nothing to do with the fact that it cannot be manufactured... because we in Ontario have been dispensing the generic brand CFC free salbutamol inhaler since 2003.

There was a very large legal fight here, which the Government won.. in which ratio-brand generic company, a different arm of SKF pharmaceuticals.. fought over being able to sell the generic product at a higher price than the listed price that the government would pay. They lost the legal case.

Part of the legal case about the sale of ratio-pharm salbutamol at a higher price had to do with patent rights and part of the case was about interpretation of the Gov't to set a standardized price.. and when I read "patent" in the legal case... it took little imagination to realize that corporate legal teams for Big Pharma will have "patent" rights redefined so that the case would not be lost in 2015 or whenever.

As a member of the Health Care profession... I am very sorry that you do not have a generic albuterol CFC available.

We must, must fight the TPP...