Asthma Drugs
There was a lady on BBC Breakfast last week complaining that a new asthma drug has not been approved by NICE. At up to £26,000 a year, I can understand why not, especially as there are other cheaper alternatives.
Now I know a lot about asthma, as I funded the development of a metered dose inhaler to deliver asthma drugs. Sadly, the only people who made money out of the device were me and my fellow collaborators, as it offered completely green and very efficient delivery. But you can’t compete against the big drug companies, even if you are one of the top-ranked second-level ones.
Interestingly, one of the countries with the highest level of asthma, as measured by devices prescribed is that very polluted country, New Zealand. So there’s myth number one seriously questioned. Clean air is good for your asthma! Possibly, but then why do the Kiwis prescribe so many drugs?
A teacher once told me that in her classes of seven-year-olds, some years no kids had inhalers for asthma and in others a good proportion did. She felt there was a lot of peer pressure. As Johnny has one, can I have one Mummy?
Then there is research that shows that naked flames are a problem, as the oxides of nitrogen produced can cause the disease. So chuck out that gas cooker and never smoke, whilst your kids are around. It also would appear that sealed modern houses with fitted carpets are not good either. I have heard endless tales of people moving to a draughty cottage and the asthma in their children has gone. Especially, when kids now walk to school, rather than are ferried.
So before we prescribe expensive drigs, let’s sort out the lifestyle factors that cause the disease first! We’d probably all be healthier!
The Anonymous Widower 
The children in NZ are probably reacting to either pollen and other natural things, or depending on where they are in NZ, the gases produced by the boiling mud pools etc. I read somewhere that people are more likely to be sensitive than natural stuff than man made stuff.
A great many children are not using their inhalers effectively anyway, especially if they are using spacers as well.
I agree about expensive drugs, indeed I will go further, I get very cross when people go to the press with “bleeding heart” tales of being denied drugs which actually are not recommended for the disease they have or the stage they are in!
Comment by Liz P | August 16, 2010 |