The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) recently called for national action to address the high costs of asthma medicine. Following that call, drug manufacturer Boehringer Ingelheim announced it is capping the price of its inhalers at $35 a month for people with private insurance.

The price change goes into effect June 1, 2024.

AAFA issued the following statement about the pricing announcement:

“The announced price cap from Boehringer Ingelheim is a step toward improving access to essential asthma medicine and demonstrates that the voice of the asthma patient community is being heard,” states Kenneth Mendez, president and CEO of AAFA. “AAFA will continue to advocate that all stakeholders in the drug pricing ecosystem take steps to improve affordability and access for life-saving medicines.”

Last fall, AAFA shared patient stories and its Asthma Disparities in America report with the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee which then launched an investigation into the high price of asthma inhalers early this year.

In addition to pharmaceutical manufacturers, pharmacy benefit managers, insurance companies, employers, and federal policies all affect the final price paid for medicines. Unfortunately, these complex layers often mean that the current system discriminates against people who need these drugs the most.

Differences in prevalence and mortality rates present startling evidence of racial disparities in asthma. Black and Hispanic individuals have higher rates of asthma and are more likely to be uninsured or underinsured. Deaths due to asthma - although decreasing overall - occur at a much higher rate in the Black and Puerto Rican populations than in the White population. Black individuals are nearly three times as likely to die from asthma than White individuals.

AAFA’s research indicates that when the cost of medicine becomes a barrier to treatment, people with asthma resort to rationing or simply discontinue use.

Access to asthma medications can save lives, reduce hospitalizations, and lower the more than $82 billion in annual costs to the U.S. economy from this chronic disease. But the U.S. health care system is complex, and often leaves patients with few affordable options.