ACAAI endorses Boston Scientific’s Alair asthma treatment

Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX) said yesterday that the American College of Allergy, Asthma and  Immunology has endorsed bronchial thermoplasty using the company’s Alair system.

The ACAAI recommends the procedure for patients with severe asthma who continue to present symptoms despite maximum medication treatment, Marlborough, Mass.-based Boston Scientific said.

In bronchial thermoplasty, thermal energy is delivered to the airway wall to reduce excessive smooth muscle, decreasing the ability of the airway to constrict, which reduces the frequency and severity of asthma attacks, the company said.

“Allergists see a wide range of adult asthma patients – some of whom suffer from asthma that can not be controlled with available therapeutic regimens. The scientific literature supports bronchial thermoplasty as a therapeutic consideration for some carefully chosen patients with severe, difficult-to-control asthma. In addition, ACAAI recommends that insurers provide coverage for bronchial thermoplasty for those adult patients who meet the stringent requirements,” ACAAI president Dr. James Sublett said in a press release.

As part of the recommendation, the ACAAI suggests that health insurers cover the treatment for patients who meet the guidelines for treatment, Boston Scientific said.

“In addition to improving outcomes, bronchial thermoplasty is a cost-effective treatment. We are pleased to receive support from ACAAI for BT as an accepted therapeutic option for patients with severe asthma whose symptoms are uncontrolled despite an escalating drug regimen,” Boston Scientific endoscopy prez David Pierce said in a press release.

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