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Certain inhalers may not provide the 120 doses promised, according to a recent class action lawsuit against Boehringer Ingelheim.
Plaintiff Carl Ignacuinos says he has long suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a progressive lung condition that involves blocked airflow in the lungs.
Since 2016, Ignacuinos has been using the Combivent inhaler to relieve his COPD symptoms.
Combivent helps to relieve COPD symptoms by relaxing the muscles in the lungs. The combination of ipratropium bromide and albuterol allows the lungs to effectively open up and take in air.
Combivent is a “metered dose” inhaler, meaning that it is supposed to dispense a “reliable, consistent” medication dose of 20 mcg of ipratropium bromide and 100 mcg of albuterol in 11.4 mcL of a sterile aqueous solution.
Advertisements for Combivent reportedly state that each of the inhalers contains 120 doses.
For the first nine months of the year, Ignacuinos reportedly pays a $75 copay each month for his inhaler. For each of the remaining three months, he claims to pay $140.
Despite the significant costs associated with Combivent inhalers, they allegedly fail to follow through on representations that they provide 120 doses.
According to a class action lawsuit, most of the inhalers deliver half or less than half of the advertised doses, while only a few deliver significantly more than half.
When the plaintiff began to suspect that he was not receiving his full money’s worth, Ignacuinos reportedly started to log his doses which allegedly showed that he was receiving far less than 120 doses per inhaler.
Other consumers have reportedly had similar experiences with the Combivent inhaler. A reviewer on WebMD reportedly said that “something is wrong with this product.” Another reviewer called the medication “horrible” and was allegedly forced to introduce another rescue inhaler to manage their COPD symptoms.
“The way this thing is made is horrible, half the time it doesn’t even work, does not give the right amount of medicine when it DOES decide to work and not to mention the price is ridiculous,” the review claimed. “Don’t waste your money on this crap.”
Ignacuinos claims that he suffered financial injury when he was made to pay between $75 and $140 each month but did not receive the amount of medication or quality of product that he was promised.
“Ignacuinos was additionally injured when he was required to restrict has activities because his Combivent had run out prematurely,” the inhaler class action lawsuit claims.
“Since he would no longer have a means of relieving his breathing obstructions at this point, he often was required to stay indoors in order to minimize the chances of a COPD attack, against which he would be helpless.”
In his class action lawsuit against inhaler manufacturer Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc., Ignacuinos seeks to represent a Class of consumers who purchased Combivent.
If the court does not permit him to represent a nationwide Class, he instead proposes to represent a Class of the same consumers from Florida.
The inhaler class action lawsuit seeks restitution, disgorgement, declaratory relief, court costs, and attorneys’ fees.
Ignacuinos is represented by Stephen M. Bourtin of The Boyd Law Group PLLC and C.K. Lee of Lee Litigation Group PLLC.
The Combivent Inhaler Class Action Lawsuit is Ignacuinos v. Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc., Case No. 3:19-cv-00672, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut.
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18 thoughts onInhaler Doesn’t Provide 120 Doses As Advertised, Class Action Says
Please add me
Please add me cause i used this too. I have copd.
The same thing with Symbicort inhaler. It definitely doesn’t deliver 120 doses.
I’m surprised this is limited to only Combivent. I’m an asthmatic patient on Dulera and have noticed similar issues with my inhaler. As I near the end of product (last 10%), I “coincidentally” notice worsening asthma symptoms each time.
Am surprised to read this. I have been on Combivent for going on 4 yrs now. When this first starting happening , I assumed it was the environment or me being overactive. But then I would run out before during time. Would love to sign up on this as well. Just didnt associate it with under dosing.
I figured out how to break the lockout mechanism that stops it at the end of the count cycle shown on the side and I use it until there is nothing left coming out of it. The doses are inconsistent and sporadically non-existent throughout it’s normal usage. There are times it delivers the right dosage and I get relief but more often than not it doesn’t give the correct dosage thus no relief so I have to take 2-3 actuations to get the right amount. Because of the inconsistencies, I always run out way before my 3 month refill window.
Been using Cobivent Respimat 6 yrs., worked great up until the last year, first it had a nasty taste, I always clean the mouth piece, and also it seemed like about in the middle of use, it wasn’t helping much. Of course first thought was I’m getting worse. So when I used it a few days later same thing, bad taste and little relief, so I just pushed the release on the inhaler and hardly any mist came out, I did it again and the usual amount was there. I can’t afford to keep testing it this way, I need to breathe of course. I really am appalled at what these 120 squirts cost, but then all medications are way iver priced…pay or suffer and possibly die, win/win for the big pharmacy! Thanks, hope this is thoroughly investigated!