Breathe Easier

ANCHOR LEAD:
AN ASTHMA ATTACK IS A FRIGHTENING ORDEAL... BUT IMAGINE REACHING FOR YOUR INHALER, AND IT'S EMPTY. IT'S A SCARY SITUATION THAT EXPERTS SAY IS ALL TOO COMMON. HERE'S ____ WITH A HEADS UP ON A NEW LIFE SAVING SOLUTION.

TRACK ONE Length: 08
ASTHMA SUFFERER RIIN (REEN) GILL LOVES RIDING HER BIKE ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES IT TRIGGERS AN ATTACK. AN INHALER USUALLY DOES THE TRICK, BUT NOT ALWAYS.

SOT
KEY @: 13 Riin Gill, Asthma Sufferer
"Sometimes I've used it, and I feel like it didn't really do anything. I think it might have been empty."

TRACK TWO Length: 13
THAT'S RIGHT... EMPTY! FOR RIIN AND MILLIONS OF OTHER ASTHMA SUFFERERS, IT'S OFTEN IMPOSSIBLE TO GAUGE HOW FULL AN INHALER IS. THAT'S BECAUSE, LIQUID CAN REMAIN IN THE CANNISTER... GIVING YOU THE SENSE YOU STILL HAVE MEDICINE LEFT.

SOT
KEY @: 30 Nancy Sanders, Allergy and Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics
"But that liquid is mostly propellant. It may not have any medication inside."

TRACK THREE Length: 04
PATIENT ADVOCATE NANCY SANDERS SAYS THAT CAN ADD UP TO A DANGEROUS SITUATION.

SOT
KEY @: 40 Nancy Sanders, Allergy and Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics
"Because asthma is a potentially life threatening disease, not knowing when your life saving medication is running out can be a deadly problem."

TRACK FOUR Length: 06
CLIENT NOTE: For more information, please see Source Information below.
ACCORDING TO A RECENT SURVEY, ONE IN FOUR ASTHMA PATIENTS SAY THEY'VE FOUND THEIR INHALERS EMPTY DURING AN ATTACK.

SOT
NO KEY (Riin Gill, Asthma Sufferer)
"It's really scary."

TRACK FIVE Length: 10
THE PROBLEM? DR. ERIC SCHMIDT SAYS MOST INHALERS DON'T HAVE DOSE COUNTERS ON THEM INDICATING HOW FULL OR EMPTY THEY ARE. BUT NOW, NEW DEVICES ARE HITTING THE MARKET WITH CLEAR INDICATORS.

SOT
KEY @: 1:12 Eric Schmidt, MD
"With each actuation, the number would tick off indicating the amount that was intended to be used and would, would count down to zero."

TRACK SIX Length: 03
DR. SCHMIDT SAYS THESE NEW INHALERS MAY COST MORE, BUT THEY'RE WORTH IT.

SOT
KEY @: 1:22 Eric Schmidt, MD
"The reassurance that they'll receive from knowing exactly how much medicine is left at their disposal will offset the slight increase in cost."

TRACK SIX Length: 05
RIIN SAYS SHE'D BREATHE EASIER IF THE INHALER SHE USES FOR SEVERE ATTACKS CAME WITH A DOSE COUNTER.

SOT
Length: 06(Riin Gill, Asthma Sufferer )
"I would know when to replace them instead of just guessing or guessing wrong and running out."

ANCHOR TAG:
THESE NEW INHALERS ARE JUST HITTING THE MARKET, SO ASK YOUR DOCTOR IF YOU'RE INTERESTED.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A DOSE COUNTER, SANDERS SUGGESTS YOU READ THE INSERT INSTRUCTIONS TO FIND OUT HOW MANY DOSES ARE IN YOUR INHALER. THEN, EITHER LOG HOW MANY TIMES YOU USE IT IN A JOURNAL, OR WRAP A PIECE OF PAPER AROUND THE CANNISTER AND ADD A MARK EVERYTIME YOU ACTIVATE THE INHALER.

SOURCE INFORMATION: FOR CLIENT-STATION USE ONLY
The information provided below is for client-station use only. It is provided to help you obtain answers to any additional questions you may have and to help you localize a story. This private contact information, including phone numbers, addresses and email addresses, cannot be given to viewers nor posted on your Website. It is for internal station use only. Any exceptions to this will be clearly noted. Thank you.

Nancy Sanders
Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics
2751 Prosperity Ave., Suite 150
Fairfax, VA 22031
1-800-878-4403

Sanders is President of Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics. She founded the organization in 1985. She says one of the biggest problems asthma sufferers face is the inability to tell how much medicine is left in their inhalers. Sanders says dose counters are the best solution.

Eric Schmidt, MD
7777 Forest Lane
Suite B 332
Dallas, TX 75230
972-566-7788

Dr. Schmidt is a board certified Allergist and Immunologist. He says his patients do not keep track of the number of doses they've used on their inhalers, and he was not surprised to hear about the results of Sander's survey. If patients are without their medicine during an attack, Schmidt says it can be life threatening. He thinks dose counters will help patients keep better track and prevent of when to refill their medicine.

SOURCE INFORMATION FOR TRACK FOUR:

Sander N et al. "Dose counting and the use of pressurized metered-dose inhalers: running on empty." Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2006; 97:34-38.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT INHALERS WITH DOSE COUNTERS:

Ventolin HFA- Ventolin HFA with a dose counter is made by GlaxoSmithKline.
http://www.ventolin.com/

Advair Diskus- Advair Diskus with a dose counter is also made by GlaxoSmithKline
Http://www.advair.com

Pulmicort Turbohaler- Pulmiscort Turbohaler is made by AstraZeneca
http://www.twistclickinhale.com/