LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Doctors are warning asthma patients about GSK inhaler Flovent, which won't be on pharmacy shelves beginning Jan. 1. Some medical professionals are concerned many patients aren't aware of the change. 

What You Need To Know

  • GSK inhaler Flovent won’t be on pharmacy shelves starting Jan. 1 due to Medicaid rebate charges that would force the company to pay large penalties for hiking prices
  • According to the Cabinet For Health and Family Services, at least one in every 10 Kentucky adults has asthma 
  • Asthma is a disease of chronic inflammation in the airway, causing the muscles in the airway to become swollen and close

  • Physicians have said an authorized generic version to take its place will work just as well; however, it doesn't appear to be as widely covered by insurers

For 46 years, doctor Stephen Pollard has specialized in allergies and asthma, a disease of chronic inflammation of the airway. This causes the muscles in the airway to become swollen and closed.

Some physicians have said an authorized generic version taking its place will work just as well; however, it doesn't appear to be as widely covered by insurers. 

"All the insurance plans do have alternative inhaled steroids for asthma," Pollard said. "It'll be a bit of a glitch; it'll have a bit of a hassle for some people, no doubt, but the alternatives are there."

Doctors are urging patients to take action now to get new prescriptions if needed and sort out coverage issues, especially with it being respiratory virus season. 

“People need to be proactive if they're on Flovent now and getting a refill before that if they can," Pollard said. 

Pollard added he urges people on Flovent to talk to their doctors about the best alternatives. Industry insiders have said GSK is discontinuing Flovent due to Medicaid rebate charges that would force the company to pay large penalties for hiking prices. 

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