What Makes Trelegy Better Than Other Inhalers?

How Much Does Trelegy Ellipta Cost?

Most Americans know by now that they pay more for their prescription drugs than people in other countries. For those who may not believe it — we can assure you it’s true.

At NorthWestPharmacy.com, you can purchase a one-month supply of Trelegy Ellipta for about $140.00. You can also choose to purchase up to a 3-month supply, which will save you even more per month — each inhaler costs about $127.00 when purchased in a 3-month quantity.

In the United States, the cash price for a one-month supply of Trelegy Ellipta is about $665.00. Purchasing a 3-month supply will probably cost a bit less per inhaler.

But if you’re already struggling to afford your medication, what are the chances that you have a spare $1,800.00 lying around?

What Makes Trelegy Different?

Drug companies are constantly trying to come up with more effective ways to treat various diseases. Not only is medical innovation beneficial — sometimes literally lifesaving — for patients, but it can be quite profitable for the companies developing new medication.

Fast-Acting Inhalers

Treatment options for COPD and asthma have come a long way in the past 30 years. Fast-acting inhalers were among some of the earliest treatment options — and are still among the first treatment options suggested for patients undergoing observation for asthma.

Fast-acting inhalers typically contain some sort of bronchodilator. Asthma and COPD flare-ups result in the restriction of the airway, making it difficult for the patient to breathe. Additionally, these flare-ups can create more mucus in the lungs.

Bronchodilators relax the muscles around the airways so they can remain open. This not only helps the patient breathe more easily but opens a pathway for mucus to move more freely, which allows them to expel it.

Medical Innovation Leading the Way

While fast-acting inhalers are still recommended in the event of an emergency, a significant portion of the population responds positively to long-term treatments referred to as inhaled corticosteroids.

Most inhaled corticosteroids are a combination of two types of medication that work together to prevent inflammation. Multiple prescription medications have proven effective in doing so, and therefore preventing asthma attacks and worsening COPD symptoms.

One of the most popular dual-medication drugs on the market is Advair. Advair is comprised of fluticasone propionate and salmeterol xinafoate.

Fluticasone propionate is a common corticosteroid, also known simply as a steroid. Because steroids have anti-inflammatory properties, they’re often preferred for respiratory diseases. Fluticasone propionate reduces the swelling and irritation that can lead to complications, such as an asthma attack.

Salmeterol is a bronchodilator, which means that it helps open up the airways. Wider, more open bronchial tubes mean less resistance in the airway, which should make breathing easier for people.

Another popular dual-medication is Symbicort, which is comprised of the same types of medications, but different active ingredients. Symbicort’s active ingredients are budesonide (the corticosteroid) and formoterol fumarate dihydrate (the long-acting bronchodilator).

Both of these medications are taken twice per day — once in the morning and once at night. Advair requires one puff of the inhaler (60 doses per month), while Symbicort requires two (120 doses per month).

How Trelegy Changes (and Improves) Patient Protocol

Newer medications formulated to treat respiratory conditions are being made with different formulas that allow for the medication to be taken only once per day. Breo Ellipta (fluticasone furoate/vilanterol) is another medication that is taken once daily.

Trelegy not only drops the dosage down to once per day, but it combines three different medications to manage symptoms of asthma and COPD. While the name Trelegy may be different, some of the active ingredients should sound familiar.

Fluticasone furoate is similar to the corticosteroid found in Advair. Fluticasone furoate is not the same as fluticasone propionate. In fact, some research has shown that fluticasone furoate is actually more effective.

We won’t get into the scientific details here (click on the link and read the paper if you’re interested), but the important thing is for this article is that it’s similar — but not the same. It’s different enough that researchers believe it may be more suitable for the treatment of respiratory inflammation.

Umeclidinium is the second active ingredient — the one that sets it apart from Breo Ellipta. Umeclidinium is classified as an anticholinergic, which means that it relaxes and opens airways in the lungs.

The final active ingredient in Trelegy is vilanterol trifenatate, a long-acting beta2 adrenoceptor agonist that is classified as a bronchodilator. It’s vilanterol that allows Trelegy (and Breo) to be a once-daily medication as opposed to twice.

For patients who have not responded well to Advair or Symbicort, Trelegy is a lifeline. If fluticasone furoate is truly more effective for some people, then having affordable access to it is critical.

Everyone reacts differently to various ingredients in medications. Having multiple options available to people can not only improve their quality of life but save their lives entirely.

Important Notes about Trelegy

As a reminder, inhaled corticosteroids are not meant to be used as fast-acting inhalers. They’re preventative only and will not be helpful if you are actively having an asthma attack. This is why fast-acting inhalers are still recommended, even for people who have their asthma or COPD under control with an inhaled corticosteroid.

Furthermore, Trelegy in particular should not be taken if you have allergic reactions to milk or milk proteins. Always check with your doctor regarding allergies and prescribed medications to make sure there are no contraindications.

Why is Trelegy Ellipta So Expensive?

As previously mentioned, Trelegy is one of the more expensive medications used to treat COPD and asthma. The reasons behind Trelegy’s high retail price are quite numerous and incredibly complex.

Lack of Oversight

In the United States, the short answer for why medications like Trelegy are so expensive is: Because no one puts a stop to it.

In most countries, there’s a negotiation in which pharmaceutical companies and regulatory bodies determine the maximum price allowed for a given medication. The reason medication is so much more affordable in Canada is because the government intervenes and sets a price that is both fair for the drug companies and the public.

For nearly every Canadian medication, a price is determined by the government. Once this is set, the pharmaceutical company is bound to it if they want to sell their drugs in the country.

Each country’s government is inclined to find a fair compromise for the pharmaceutical company. If they set the price too low, the company may not sell their drug in the country, which would make it more difficult for their citizens to obtain potentially life-saving drugs.

Of course, pharmaceutical companies want to cast the widest net possible to maximize their profits. The result for Canadians is a much lower price for Canadian drugs than what Americans pay for what are the virtually identical American drugs — particularly for brand-name medications with no generic options.

In the U.S., this is an entirely different situation.

Pharmaceutical companies are allowed to set the price wherever they want in the U.S. Multiple factors affect this decision, including the rarity of the disease the medication is treating, the cost of research and development, competition already in the marketplace and, most importantly perhaps, the billions that drug companies spend for product marketing in the United States which is not permitted in Canada and many other countries.

It’s a frustrating answer for many, but it’s true — there are simply no regulations to cap the price of medications.

Trelegy is One of a Kind

Speaking more specifically to the idea that competition plays a role in price, it’s important to note that Trelegy is in a class on its own.

There aren’t many asthma/COPD medications with three active ingredients that can be taken once per day. Plenty of them have one or two active ingredients, and most of them are taken twice a day. The bottom line is that Trelegy doesn’t have much competition at this point.

Let’s get further into what sets Trelegy apart from the rest of the pack.

The Dangers of Expensive Medication

It’s undoubtedly frustrating for people who need medications like Trelegy to see such high prices. Inhaled corticosteroids are helping people breathe. It’s not the type of medication that someone takes only when they need it, as they would with a rescue inhaler.

Steroids need to be taken consistently, otherwise, their effectiveness decreases. Taking Trelegy only when your chest is feeling tight won’t do you much good at all. You need to take it every single day so your bronchial tubes don’t become inflamed.

When you encounter triggers, such as pollen, dust, perfume, mold, or smoke, your asthma may flare-up. But if you’ve been taking your medication every day, as directed, your lungs will be far better equipped to handle the trigger. (And just to be safe, you should have your rescue inhaler.)

But if you’ve skipped a few days because you couldn’t afford to pick up your new inhaler, you’re setting yourself up for a potentially life-threatening situation.

Saving Money on Trelegy

If you’re looking for a way to save money on your Trelegy prescription, look no further than NorthWestPharmacy.com — the most reviewed and independently five-star rated online pharmacy in the world.

NorthWestPharmacy.com was founded with a view to the trends in prescription drug prices and with the vision to provide better access to affordable medication. From day one, our staff, pharmacists, and knowledgeable representatives have been dedicated to low prices, patient safety and excellent customer service.

But don’t take our word for it — look through the 400,000+ internet pharmacy reviews our satisfied customers have written using third-party websites like Trustpilot, Norton, and Shopper Approved. We’re proud to say we maintain a consistent overall 4.8/5 star rating.

An Online Canadian Pharmacy that is Safe and Reliable

We understand that the price (especially our lowest price guarantee) is probably what brought you here — and that’s important. But more than anything else, we recognize that none of this matters without safety and accuracy.

We maintain the highest standards through certification from not one, but two highly acclaimed independent professional organizations: the Canadian International Pharmacy Association (CIPA) and the International Pharmacy Association of British Columbia (IPABC).

These organizations set standards for online Canadian pharmacies and internet drugstores to ensure safety and accuracy. These standards include keeping proper patient records, having a pharmacist review potential contraindications, and connecting customers to a pharmacist as required.

Our record is stellar. Our consistency is reflected in our reviews and star rating.

And yes, a significant portion of our customer base is made up of Americans. A quick look through the customer feedback on our website will show you that our customers are from every state and just about every city in the country.

Excellent Customer Service

Purchasing medication online can be a stressful experience — especially if it’s the first time. That’s one of the many reasons we’re so adamant about maintaining a call center and training knowledgeable customer service representatives.

Our call center is open seven days a week for your convenience. Our representatives can answer any of your questions, connect you with the on-call pharmacist, or help you place your order.

If you’re ready to order Trelegy (or any other medication you need), don’t hesitate to call us at 1-866-539-5330. If you prefer, you can order online yourself, or email us — we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

We look forward to helping you save you money!