New Treatments Redefine Asthma Care, Improve Patient Health

Physician-authored paper highlights how innovative treatments can improve patient outcomes and why access is critical

WASHINGTON, May 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- For decades, the inhaler has been the go-to treatment for asthma, but innovative options like biologics are changing how providers tailor care.

"Breath of Fresh Care," a physician-authored paper from the Alliance for Patient Access, highlights recent innovations in the field of asthma care. J. Allen Meadows, MD, discusses how innovative treatments are giving patients more targeted options that meet each patient's needs.

Making Asthma Care Accessible & Affordable

While these treatments can be game changers for patients, access is critical. Barriers can get in the way, hindering patient care and harming the patient-provider relationship.

• Utilization management tactics like prior authorization and step therapy can prevent patients from accessing their treatment in a timely manner.
• Pharmacy benefit managers may create formularies that exclude these treatments, forcing patients to use other, less effective medications.
• Copay diversion programs like alternative funding programs can complicate how patients access their medication and leave patients with significant out-of-pocket costs.
• Definitions of value from organizations like ICER may impact whether a medication receives coverage without weighing patient values and perspectives.

Policies that reduce these barriers can make a big difference. With the right care, asthma patients will be able to breathe easier.

STATEMENT FROM J. ALLEN MEADOWS, MD: "The right treatment can go a long way – it can reduce kids' absences at school, it can improve adults' productivity, it can reduce emergency room visits. It's amazing how far asthma treatments have come during my lifetime."

About the Alliance for Patient Access

The Alliance for Patient Access is a network of policy-minded health care providers who advocate for patient-centered care.

SOURCE Alliance for Patient Access