California plans to stock every public school with rescue inhalers to make asthma emergencies safer for students.

Here’s what to know

According to The Signal, the initiative will provide public schools with free supplies of the fast-acting medicine for when someone suddenly has trouble breathing.

Albuterol inhalers, commonly known as rescue inhalers, treat asthma attacks and other respiratory emergencies by relaxing the muscles around the airways. Under the program, state officials said each public school will receive two metered-dose inhalers and 25 single-use inhalers every year for three years.

California’s latest state budget is paying for the public-school distribution. Private schools will not receive the inhalers for free, but they can buy them at reduced prices of $9.50 per inhaler and $93.75 for a pack of 25 single-use inhalers.

California Governor Gavin Newsom cast the policy as a basic school safety measure that could also reduce recurring costs and stress for families.

“No child should be left gasping for air because their school doesn’t have an inhaler,” Newsom said in a statement. “This initiative lets us all breathe easier by equipping schools with the right tools to respond to potentially life-threatening asthma attacks.”

Officials say the need is substantial as about one million children in California have asthma, and roughly one-third have symptoms serious enough to make them miss at least a week of school each year.

More background

Dr. Erica Pan, the state public health officer, signed an order ending the previous requirement that schools secure a doctor’s prescription for inhalers meant for student use — a key obstacle that made it harder for schools to keep inhalers on hand.

Now schools can act faster when a child starts struggling to breathe, especially if the student does not have their own medication available.

The inhaler initiative also fits into a larger state campaign to make essential medicines more affordable. It is the third program created under CalRx, which Newsom established through an executive order. Previous CalRx efforts centered on lower-cost insulin pens and wider access to discounted naloxone nasal spray.

What’s being done?

California is working with Amneal Pharmaceuticals, a U.S.-based drugmaker, to carry out the program. Officials said that even if state funding expires after three years, schools can still order products directly through Amneal’s system.

The rollout also includes training. CalRx and the California School Nurses Organization will offer public schools free guidance on asthma, how to use inhalers, how to recognize respiratory distress, and what follow-up is required after an emergency.

That training also covers issues such as when to call 911 and when parents should be notified. Private schools can access the training for a fee.

Kesa Bruce, director of advocacy for the American Lung Association, said, “For a child experiencing an asthma emergency, immediate access to albuterol can be lifesaving, and this initiative will help ensure that a student’s ability to breathe safely at school does not depend on where they live or their family’s ability to afford medication. Expanding access to this essential treatment will make California schools safer, reduce health disparities, and give students with asthma greater security to learn, play and thrive.”

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