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Allergy and Asthma Network Seeks Awareness Campaign, Help for Transition to New Albuterol Inhalers

Albuterol, the most common inhaler used by asthmatics and people with COPD, will require a new propellant at the end of this year—but many Albuterol users aren’t aware of this. The following action alert comes from the Allergy and Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics:

Dear AANMA Friends and MDI Transition Working Group Members:

Please take a moment to ask your Congressional Representatives to sign on to the Dear Colleague letter to Secretary Leavitt regarding the MDI Transition!

During Asthma Awareness Day Capitol Hill (AADCH) May 7, 2008, we asked Congress to help make millions of respiratory patients aware that they must switch from CFC-propelled albuterol inhalers to non-CFC alternatives by December 31, 2008. The federal mandate did not come with provisions necessary to inform or monitor patients making the transition. Nor did it compensate families and patients who must now assume the financial burden of making the switch.

Representatives Nita Lowey ((D-NY) and Cliff Stearns (R-FL) took the lead and are circulating a Dear Colleague letter (attached) on the Hill asking other offices to sign onto a letter to HHS Secretary Leavitt (attached) asking him to (1) launch a national awareness and education campaign, (2) institute a process for monitoring patients, and (3) place HFA inhalers at the lowest co-pay tier for Medicare patients.

Please take a moment to ask your Congressional Representatives* to sign on to letter to Secretary Leavitt!

To locate your Congressional Representative’s phone number, click on this link and enter your Zip Code:

Immediately place a call to your Representative. Ask to speak with the Health Legislative Assistant. Identify yourself and where you are from and say that you hope the Representative will sign onto the Dear Colleague letter to HHS Secretary Leavitt by contacting Representative Nita Lowey’s office at 202-225-6506 or Representative Stearns’ office at 202-225-5744 by this Friday, June 13, 2008.

If you are connected to voice mail, leave a message with the above information.

Please take one extra moment to let me know you made the call: sfwalker@aanma.org or 800-878-4403×115.

Thank you for your continuing support and immediate response to issues that affect patients with respiratory conditions.

Sandra J. Fusco-Walker
Allergy & Asthma Network
Mothers of Asthmatics
703-641-9595×115
sfwalker@aanma.org
www.breatherville.org