A nationwide
voluntary recall of an estimated 600,000 Ventolin HFA Inhalation Aerosol inhalers, commonly
used to treat conditions like asthma and other chronic pulmonary diseases,
has been announced by the British pharmaceutical company, GlaxoSmithKline,
LLC, also known as GSK. Three lots of the 200D inhalers may have a potential
issue with the delivery system, and
according to FDA official reports, “the products might cause a temporary health problem, or pose only
a slight threat of a serious nature.”

Metered-dose albuterol inhalers help users breathe by delivering medication
into the body through the airway and lungs. People with asthma can vary
from childhood age to adulthood but all suffer from the chronic disease
involving inflammation in the airways in the lungs, and often rely on
medication like albuterol to manage their symptoms, and improve their
quality of life. The FDA continued to report that some of the GSK inhalers
were “out of specification results for leak rate” and triggered
the recall.

The effected inhalers start with lot numbers 6ZP0003, 6ZP9944 and 6ZP9848
and were made in a plant in Zebulon, North Carolina. Recalls are coming
from hospitals, pharmacies, retailers and wholesalers in the United States.

Who Does This Recall Impact?

Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) reported in 2014 that approximately 546,000 Hoosiers were suffering from
asthma, creating more than 700,000 hospitalizations to treat the chronic
condition that same year. As the number of people with asthma continues
to grow so does the need for a dependency on physicians to develop a management
plan involving medication – such as Ventolin HFA Inhalation Aerosol
inhalers – to keep risk factors and symptoms under control.

According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI):

  • One in 12 people (about 25 million, or 8%of the U.S. population) had asthma
    in 2009, compared with 1 in 14 (about 20 million, or 7%) in 2001.
  • More than half (53%) of people with asthma had an asthma attackin 2008.
    More children (57%) than adults (51%) had an attack.
  • Childhood asthma impacts millions of children and their families. In fact, the majority
    of children who develop asthma do so before the age of five.

People with asthma have airways that are always inflamed. The airways become
even more swollen and the muscles around the airways can tighten when
something triggers symptoms, making it difficult for air to move in and
out of the lungs. An albuterol-released inhaler can help improve the restriction.

For many asthma sufferers, timing of symptoms such as coughing, wheezing,
shortness of breath and/or chest tightness can be related to physical
activity, a family history of allergies, or
occupational asthma caused by inhaling harmful substances while on the job.

Can Someone Die From Asthma?

A person should work with a healthcare professional and be assessed for
their risk of suffering a fatal asthma attack. A weak 33 percent of asthma
deaths occur in the hospital. The other 67 percent of asthma deaths occur
because patients are not seeking proper care, or receiving proper treatment
or medication fails, or have not been hospitalized.

If you treat your asthma or pulmonary disease with a Ventolin HFA Inhalation
Aerosol inhaler and are suffering the consequences of its failure to deliver,
it is important that you get expert legal advice from a personal injury
lawyer. Our experienced product recall attorneys offer free consultations
to discuss your case.
Contact us today to schedule your evaluation and call
(888) 204-8440.