>>> MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS ARE SOUNDING THE ALARM ABOUT A SHORTAGE OF MEDICATION THAT IS USED TO TREAT PEOPLE WITH ASTHMA AND OTHER RESPIRATORY DISEASES.

A MAJOR U.S.

SUPPLIER TO HOSPITALS OF LIQUID ALBUTEROL RECENTLY SHUT DOWN, WHICH HAS COST AN ONGOING SHORTAGE TO GET WORSE.

JOINING US NOW WITH MORE IS DR. MARGARITA MORA, MEDICAL SUPPORT FOR FOR THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION AND AN ALLERGIST-IMMUNOLOGIST BASED HERE IN CHICAGO.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.

HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU ABOUT THIS SHORTAGE?

>> VERY CONCERNED, ALEX.

WHEN WE LOOK AT THE STATS, WE HAVE 25 MILLION ASTHMATIC PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATE, 25 BILLION ADULTS, 5 MILLION KIDS, AND 24 MILLION COPD OR EMPHYSEMA PATIENTS.

PLUS ALL THE OTHER RESPIRATORY DISEASES.

WE ARE ABOUT TO HEAD INTO ALLERGIC ASTHMA SEASON.

WE HAVE HAD AN UNUSUALLY MILD WINTER, EVEN HERE, IN CHICAGO.

THAT MEANS THE POLLEN SEASON IS GOING TO BE EARLY AND LONG.

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF ASTHMATIC PATIENTS WHO WILL NEED LIQUID ALBUTEROL.

WE COULD GET A BAD COVID VARIANT, OR WE COULD GO BACK INTO RESPIRATORY VIRAL DISEASE AGAIN IN THE WINTER, AND NOT HAVE THIS LIFE-SAVING MEDICATION THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO BREATHE.

>> CAN YOU DESCRIBE BRIEFLY HOW PATIENTS USE THIS MEDICATION?

>> THIS MEDICATION, ALBUTEROL LIQUID, ALLOWS PATIENTS TO HAVE TIGHT LUNGS, OR WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO BREATHE WITH A BAD COUGH, TO HAVE RELIEF OF THAT SHORTNESS OF BREATH, AND GET THEIR LUNGS OPEN.

IT IS MAINLY USED BY KIDS, ESPECIALLY LITTLE ONES, WHO CANNOT REALLY USE THE INHALER ALBUTEROL.

IT IS ALSO USED BY OLDER PEOPLE AND VERY SICK PATIENTS WHO CANNOT HAVE THE INHALER.

THEY GO INTO THE HOSPITAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, AND THIS IS WHAT THEY USE TO GET THEIR LUNGS OPENED UP.

>> HAVE YOU ALREADY HAD TO TELL PATIENTS ABOUT THE SHORTAGE?

>> YES, I HAVE, ALEX.

BECAUSE SOME -- UNABLE TO BUY LIQUID ALBUTEROL, ONE AT MY CLINIC WAS ACTUALLY TOLD BY HER PEDIATRICIAN THAT IF THE LITTLE GIRL ASTHMA WAS EXACT EXACERBATED, AT ONLY FIVE YEARS OF AGE, THAT SHE SHOULD GO TO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT OR HOSPITAL, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO LIQUID ALBUTEROL FOR HER TO HAVE AT HOME.

AND THE E.R., ALEX, IS 30 MINUTES AWAY.

THIS MOM WAS SCARED.

>> I BET.

HOW HAVE OTHER PATIENTS RESPONDED TO THIS?

>> A LOT OF THEM ARE CONCERNED.

THIS IS WHY THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION IS HOPING TO REACH THE FDA, WHO ACTUALLY TWEETED YESTERDAY, ALEX, THAT THEY ARE ENCOURAGING OTHER PHARMACEUTICALS TO HELP PITCH IN AND PRODUCE LIQUID ALBUTEROL.

THEY ARE ALSO TRYING TO OUTSOURCE FROM OTHER COUNTRIES, SO THEY CAN MEET THE DEMAND BEFORE WE REACH A DISASTROUS SITUATION.

>> ARE THERE ANY OTHER ALTERNATIVES, DOCTOR, TO THIS KIND OF DRUG?

>> YES, ALBUTEROL INHALERS.

THE INHALER IS NOT IN SHORTAGE, WHICH IS A GOOD THING.

SO, MAKING SURE THAT PATIENTS HAVE AN UP-TO-DATE INHALER, ACTION PLAN, ASTHMA ACTION PLAN, AND THEY SHOULD TALK TO THEIR DOCTORS, TOO.

IF THEY NORMALLY WOULD USE ALBUTEROL LIQUID, WHAT ALTERNATIVES DO THEY HAVE?

>> DR., I KNOW THE SUPPLY SHORTAGE HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE THE SUMMER, BUT HOW IS THIS CHANGING THINGS?

HOW HAS THIS RECENT SHUTDOWN CHANGE THINGS EVEN MORE?

>> RIGHT, ACORN, BASICALLY FILED BANKRUPTCY IN MAY OF 2020 BUT THEN HE WENT INTO SHORTAGE BECAUSE THEY DOWNGRADED PRODUCTION.

NOW, WE HAVE ONE PHARMACEUTICAL SUPPLYING LIQUID ALBUTEROL , THAT IS WHY IT IS SO CONCERNED, BECAUSE THEY CANNOT MEET THE DEMAND.

SO, WITH ALL THESE MILLIONS OF PATIENTS THAT MIGHT NEED THE MEDICATION.

>> WHAT KIND OF ACTION WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE OFFICIALS TAKE IN RESPONSE TO THIS SHORTAGE?

>> I AM HOPING THAT A CEO OF A PHARMACEUTICAL MIGHT BE TOUCHED BY THE STORIES OF THESE ASTHMATICS, AND DECIDE TO HELP, JUST LIKE THEY DID WITH COVID-19.

A LOT OF PHARMACEUTICALS PITCHED IN TO GET THE VACCINES ROLLING, MEDICATIONS AS WELL.

I WANT THEM TO PITCH IN FOR ALL THE LITTLE ONES, ALL THESE OLDER ADULTS, EVERYONE WITH ASTHMA AND COPD, SO THAT WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE, ALEX, AND WE ARE ABLE TO SAVE LIVES, AND NOT FALL INTO A DISASTROUS SITUATION, WHERE PEOPLE'S LIVES