Popular Asthma Drugs Being Questioned
by Caroline Hellman

Advair and Serevent, both popular asthma drugs, are being considered for withdrawal from the market by a panel of asthma experts because of safety concerns.

Both drugs contain the element Salmeterol, and asthma patients use them to keep their airways open, calm down bronchi, and prevent asthma attacks. Unlike albuterol and ventolin, advair and servent are steroid drugs that are taken every day and are not used to treat attacks.

In a study, out of approximately 13,000 people who took Advair, there were 13 deaths. In 13,000 people who took a placebo there were 8 deaths, and some experts say that this data is not conclusive.

Dr. Erwin W. Gelfand, who is the chairman of pediatrics at the National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver, commented,

"To my knowledge, when you look at the overall picture from a number of studies there's not really a danger emerging."