FOSTAIR vs. LUFORBEC

[Vanitarium]

This is the report about the use of Luforbec and Fostair in asthma and COPD.

assets.publishing.service.g...

It is a Freedom Of Information FOI request and has been censored.

It shows that these inhalers are not identical due to different acids used as pH -acidity control.

See 2.5 on page 19.

If you have issues with the switch to Luforbec raise a Yellow Card about it here

mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard

I had COPD exarcerbations after using Luforbec on two separate occasions after use of Fostair for years!

Please report here and help us to improve everybody's treatment of asthma and COPD

[Vanitarium]

Somehow this gives me bad feelings: why censor a medical report that has no commercial value to patients?

We are exposed to these medications expecting improvements and not the opposite. There is a sniff of greed and corporate profiteering in this

[janedivney]

Very interesting, and thank you for bringing it to our attention! You hear so many tales of people being switched to cheaper products which don’t work as well, or cause actual problems, and being fobbed off with “it’s the same medication”. As here, yes it is, but the additives are different so it’s not the same product! I don’t mind trying a generic, but if it doesn’t work as well I expect to be switched back. So far I’ve had no problems but some gps seem terribly obstructive. I’m sure, as you say, it’s all about money. It always is.

[JazzySalmon]

Thanks for posting this, I have reported.

The censoring in the report is extremely strange. Right after it says switching hydrochloride acid for maleic acid is "safe" there is a huge chunk of blacking out. There is not normally personally identifiable information in these reports so it doesn't seem normal that a section on clinical outcomes would be removed.

This also confirms what someone else here noted some time ago: they didn't test this on people with asthma. They tested it on "healthy individuals" to see if it harmed them and to see if they absorbed the expected amount of the drug, which they did.

Perhaps there are other studies which claim inhaling maleic acid is "safe" for asthmatics but I can't find a reference here (perhaps it's censored?) and it would be a huge oversight if not.

Regardless, this may be an issue where certain asthmatics are more susceptible to it than others, which would only be discovered through a larger clinical trial with asthmatics, which doesn't seem to have been performed. I would not have agreed to use an experimental inhaler (with no clinical oversight) and nor I suspect would most here.

[Fraggle1234]

My daughter has just been prescribed this inhaler from the Respiratory Team (waiting to collect the prescription) and after reading this I’m very concerned this is going to set her back. She’s been switched from Aloflute as she needs her Ventolin throughout day (when she is doing exercise). I know we have to try a new inhaler but I’m wondering if I am able to insist she is put on fostair or if we should try it? I’m assuming this inhaler does /can work for some people?

[JazzySalmon in reply to Fraggle1234]

I have read that it works for many people. The NHS is switching everyone to Luforbec in stages. With asthma being so variable, of course there are many for whom it doesn't work.

There's no harm in trying it, but if your daughter's breathing gets worse don't hesitate to go back to your doctor asap and request a change.

[Fraggle1234]

That’s reassuring that you have read that it does work. I guess it’s trial and error now to get the right inhaler that works for my daughter, hopefully this might be right for her?!

We will def monitor how she gets on and if she does deteriorate, I will be straight on to the doctors.

Thank you for your reply and advise.

[Butterfly2honey]

I found this report as well the other day I don’t like how much has been redacted makes you wonder what they are hiding.