Give asthmatics free inhalers

A question about : Give asthmatics free inhalers

I am asthmatic and live in England.I am disgusted that asthmatics that live in England have to pay for their inhalers. Some asthmatics are on 3 different types.

If we don't use inhalers when we need them, we will die.

Best answers:

• Absolutely agree!
  I am on 3 different inhalers which I have to take twice daily.
  Never understood why we have slipped under the radar.
  2000 people a year are still dying from severe asthma attacks.
  Hips12
• Asthma can get better, hence why it isn't on the chronic list as there is a possibility of improvement; those that are on the list are those that will never improve - so yes, you have to pay, along with the hundreds of thousands who also have conditions which may improve including the majority of mental health patients, whom without their medication would put so much strain on both the health care system and social care systems that they would break under the pressure.
  Not to mention many many other illnesses.
• I never understand why its excluded either. That said I also have to pay for my high blood pressue. I just pay a yearly prescription now as it works out slightly cheaper. I also have to take pain killers but that's for short term, broke my wrist
• we are lucky and live in scotland. the daughter is on 3 inhalers and 3 tablets and needs gluten free food. its so unfair that your made to pay. by the time a child has reached adulthood and their need has crept up then they are not going togetting better.
• I would die in days without my medication, and it isn't free. Not sure why asthma is a special case? NHS resources aren't infinite, and an annual prepay certificate not that expensive. Especially if you've lived abroad and appreciate how much healthcare actually costs.
• I'm on dialysis & currently get free prescriptions( due to needing daily dressings) but once I get a transplant I will need daily anti rejection pills & I will have to pay once I have transplant, so it will be back to pre pay for me. Crazy I will have to pay for meds to keep me alive
• I am hypothyroid and I get free prescriptions (only 2 per year for that).
  That means my hay fever and anything else I need is free.
  I'm not saying this to be smug, just pointing out that the system doesn't seem to be fair.
• The system is competely unfair and massively flawed.
  I'm a 'new' asthmatic.
  Had my first script for 2 types of inhaler and nebules (because, to save me goinng into hospital they loaned me a nebuliser to use at home) and (you'll love this) sat, in a car, WHEEZING, ringing up for a pre-pay because of the 3-item script I had just been issued with...
  and the next day doc gave me a further script for ABs
  which put me into 'profit' - the wheezy wait was worth it!
  As I am also on HRT careful pre-ordering and re-ordering of scripts a prepay is saving me ЈЈЈ
  especially as the prescription for HRT elicitits a double charge because there are 28 of one tablet in the bubble wrap plus, for part of the month, there is a teeny tiny extra tablet in.
  And the reply form the health minister, when I had the temerity to compain to my MP?
  
  Not everybody pays for prescriptions!
  well I KNOW that! Thing is - I DO!
  It comes in one box, in one blister pack but it's charged as TWO ITEMS!
  
• I'm asthmatic and a migraine sufferer ok my migraines aren't life threatening but I can lose two weeks of my life if I don't have my sumatriptan I don't mind paying for it but Ј7.80 for 6 tablets does seem a bit steep and you can't buy them over the counter either. I and other asthma sufferers would die without our inhalers I'm not asking for a freebie but perhaps a reduced price for the inhalers as the condition isn't something that can just cured. Asthma that isn't under control can cost the nhs far more money if the sufferer is admitted in a&e.
• I think its wrong that diabetics get free prescriptions for anything, not just diabetic related items.