A systematic Review of Stock Albuterol Laws in the United States

Abstract

BACKGROUND Asthma affects 10% of children in the United States. It is the most common chronic disease affecting school aged children 5 and 50% of them will experience an asthma attack during a one-year period 2 . Asthma causes school absenteeism and increased number of emergency room and urgent care visits compared to their peers 1,3 . All 50 states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws to allow students to carry and self-administer asthma medication while at school and school sponsored events. Children spend most of their day in a school setting or participating in school sponsored activities. Access to their asthma medication is important to prevent or relieve asthma symptoms. Students may not always have access to asthma medication due to lack of a primary care physician or asthma specialist, inability to afford the medication, or no documentation asthma diagnosis4. States have begun enacting laws that allow schools to maintain a supply of "stock inhalers" (i.e., short acting bronchodilators) that may be used to treat students' acute asthma symptoms. Common "stock inhalers" are short acting beta agonists such as an albuterol or levalbuterol inhaler or nebulizer solution. However, consistency in laws responsible for guiding initiation and maintenance of stock inhaler programs, school's access to obtain inhalers, documentation, and school and personal liability, is currently lacking. This review will categorize stock inhaler law variation and the implications for school systems and students.