Dosage forms

Reducing asthma medication does not worsen outcomes but could save money, study suggests

Stepping down asthma medication does not adversely affect patient outcomes and could save millions of pounds in medicines costs, a study in PLoS Medicine has found.…

Inhaler recycling scheme that cut carbon emissions equivalent to more than 8,500 cars is scrapped

A scheme to recycle respiratory inhalers, which has cut carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to taking around 8,600 cars off UK roads, is ending.…

Blue, brown and now green

The ‘NHS long-term plan’ has called for a shift towards inhalers with a lower carbon footprint.…

Salbutamol inhaler prescribing jumped 60% at start of COVID-19 pandemic

The number of some inhalers prescribed by GPs in England increased by 63% between February 2020 and March 2020, according to data analysed by The Pharmaceutical Journal.…

Why we must urgently rethink prescribing short-acting bronchodilators for asthma

Guidelines from the Global Initiative for Asthma present a radical overhaul of the way we manage asthma; but our current approach isn’t working, and nothing will change if it is not challenged.…

Community pharmacy service improves inhaler technique, study shows

Dedicated community pharmacy services can improve inhaler technique for almost all patients, a study presented at the British Thoracic Society Winter Meeting has shown.…

Switching from MDIs could reduce carbon impact of inhalers and save money

Switching patients who use metered-dose inhalers, which contain hydrofluoroalkane propellants, to cheaper, more environmentally friendly alternatives could lead to major cost savings, as well as reduced NHS greenhouse gas emissions.…

First reusable, propellant-free inhaler launched to cut plastic waste

The first reusable, propellant-free inhaler is now available for patients with asthma and COPD, in line with NHS plans to reduce its carbon footprint and plastic waste.…

Switching inhalers can boost adherence

Inhaler switching in asthma and COPD is not associated with negative impacts on patients’ health, study results published in Thorax have shown.…

Reducing the impact of asthma treatment on climate change

In April 2019, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published a patient decision aid for inhaler choice in asthma treatment, including comparisons of the devices’ environmental impact as well as usual clinical considerations[1] . The aid suggests taking inhalers’ carbon f…