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Drug Companies Step Forward with Voluntary Price Caps on Inhalers

News, Asthma, Medication

View of the torso of a fit man in a sport park. He is holding an inhaler and grasping his chest.

June 2, 2024

Drug companies Boehringer Ingelheim, AstraZeneca and GSK are capping out-of-pocket costs for their asthma inhalers at $35 per month for eligible patients.

The price caps for Boehringer Ingelheim and AstraZeneca inhaler products went into effect on June 1, 2024. GSK says it will implement a similar $35 price cap no later than January 1, 2025.

Allergy & Asthma Network applauds all three companies for their decision. This will help reduce the financial burden for many people who use inhalers to treat asthma and COPD.

“Allergy & Asthma Network supports all efforts to reduce out-of-pocket costs of inhalers and expand access to respiratory care,” says CEO Lynda Mitchell. “We are pleased to see these major drug companies provide a solution to high cost of inhalers. More voluntary price controls like this will help ensure people with asthma and COPD get the medication they need and treatment they deserve without having to bear the high costs.”

Boehringer Ingelheim inhalers affected by the price cap include:

  • Atrovent® HFA (ipratropium bromide HFA) Inhalation Aerosol
  • Combivent® Respimat® (ipratropium bromide and albuterol) Inhalation Spray
  • Spiriva® HandiHaler® (tiotropium bromide inhalation powder)
  • Spiriva® Respimat® 1.25 mcg (tiotropium bromide) Inhalation Spray
  • Spiriva® Respimat® 2.5 mcg (tiotropium bromide) Inhalation Spray
  • Stiolto® Respimat® (tiotropium bromide and olodaterol) Inhalation Spray
  • Striverdi® Respimat® (olodaterol) Inhalation Spray

AstraZeneca inhalers affected by the price cap include:

  • AIRSUPRA® (albuterol and budesonide)
  • Bevespi Aerosphere® (glycopyrrolate and formoterol fumarate) Inhalation Aerosol
  • Breztri Aerosphere® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Inhalation Aerosol
  • Symbicort® (budesonide and formoterol fumarate dihydrate) Inhalation Aerosol

AstraZeneca is also making AIRSUPRA and Breztri Aerosphere available for $0 to eligible commercially insured patients.

GSK inhalers affected by the price cap include:

  • Advair Diskus (fluticasone propionate and salmeterol inhalation powder)
  • Advair HFA (fluticasone propionate and salmeterol inhalation aerosol)
  • Anoro Ellipta (umeclidinium and vilanterol inhalation powder)
  • Arnuity Ellipta (fluticasone furoate inhalation powder)
  • Breo Ellipta (fluticasone furoate and vilanterol inhalation powder)
  • Incruse Ellipta (umeclidinium inhalation powder)
  • Serevent Diskus (salmeterol xinafoate inhalation powder)
  • Trelegy Ellipta (fluticasone furoate, umeclidinium, and vilanterol inhalation powder)
  • Ventolin HFA (albuterol sulfate inhalation aerosol)

The price caps will apply at retail pharmacies. They should be particularly helpful for people who are uninsured or underinsured.

Boehringer Ingelheim, AstraZeneca and GSK say they will continue to offer patient assistance programs, discounts and rebates for inhalers. The companies say they cannot control any inhaler fees added on by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).

The price caps came soon after a U.S. Senate committee sent letters to the drug companies saying it was launching an investigation into the cost of inhalers. Congressional Asthma & Allergy Caucus co-chair Debbie Dingell (D-MI), who has asthma, has spoken at Allergy & Asthma Day Capitol Hill about the need to reduce the cost of asthma inhalers.

Allergy & Asthma Network continues to advocate for increased access to medications. Learn how you can make a difference by becoming an advocate.