Why is this safe and effective asthma drug no longer available?

The asthma med that has Big Pharma gasping for air

Five years ago when the Intal inhaler was discontinued, many asthmatics were shocked.

It wasn’t discontinued for any safety reasons, complaints, or issues with the product.

Last week I told you about some frightening findings that the FDA just released about the asthma drug Xolair.

So asthmatics can’t get a safe med that we know works, but they can get one with reams of side effects and little benefit.

Just wait until you see why…

Cromolyn sodium, which was sold under the brand name Intal, had been on the market for a very long time, since 1968. Its use goes back to the old-fashioned “spinhaler” days. And it was safe and effective.

It was called a “breakthrough” asthma med, “discovered” in 1965 by physician and researcher Roger Altounyan, who himself had asthma.

Dr. Altounyan extracted the treatment from a plant used since ancient times. And it was proven to reduce inflammation and help improve lung function. In other words, prevent asthma attacks.

Especially exercised-induced asthma.

Now Intal wasn’t intended for sudden attacks, but when used daily, it significantly helped reduce them. And for some, it stopped their asthma symptoms entirely.

In the ’90’s cromolyn even became available for use in a nebulizer that was ideal for small children.

Then, without warning in 2009, King Pharmaceuticals announced that Intal was being discontinued.

The news shocked users of the product who depended on it.

“Intal was the ONLY medication we found that settles out my airways, prevents chronic asthma issues and stopped my asthma cough,” said one.

Another said that her daughter was “unable to take ANY inhaled steroids due to severe side effects…I am at a loss for what to do about this.”

That’s just two — of many — who didn’t know what to do now that Intal was no longer available.

The “story” was that Intal was being discontinued because King, couldn’t come up with a CFC-free inhaler device.

CFCs, or Freon, are gasses that were used as aerosol propellants, in air conditioners and refrigerators that were banned. And King said it wasn’t possible to come up with an alternative.

That seems like a reasonable explanation…until you keep looking.

Could this be the real reason?

Shortly after King stopped making Intal available, the company was purchased by Pfizer. And all Pfizer would say about it is that Intal had been “discontinued.”

Pfizer probably didn’t want this safe and highly effective medication — one that asthmatics had used for decades — out there competing with its blockbuster patent drugs that are rife with side effects.

But during my research I discovered that a U.S. company may be getting ready to manufacturer a cromolyn medication for asthmatics.

When and how they will do it, I don’t know yet. But I will continue to investigate and let you know as soon as I find out anything.

Sources:
“Pfizer to acquire King Pharmaceuticals, Inc.” October 11, 2010, Pfizer press release, Pfizer.com