Latest news with #AsthmaandRespiratoryFoundationNZ
Scoop
09-07-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Easier Access To Life-Saving Asthma Inhalers Now A Reality
Wednesday, 9 July 2025, 1:40 pm Press Release: Asthma and Respiratory Foundation Tens of thousands of New Zealanders living with asthma are set to benefit from long-awaited changes that will make it easier to access essential, lifesaving treatment, marking a major step forward for asthma care in New Zealand. Effective from August 1, people who use a 2-in-1 inhaler to manage their asthma will be able to collect a three-month supply in a single pharmacy visit, rather than returning monthly for repeats. This change is expected to benefit about 120,000 New Zealanders. The move directly aligns with the New Zealand Adolescent and Adult Asthma Guidelines, which are developed and maintained by the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ. The guidelines recommend the 2-in-1 inhaler as the frontline treatment for most adolescents and adults with asthma, used both as a preventer and a reliever. Foundation Chief Executive Ms Letitia Harding says this decision will make a huge difference to the 1 in 8 Kiwis living with asthma. "When someone is having an asthma attack, they need treatment immediately - there's no time to get a prescription filled. "Patients often need to keep their reliever inhaler in multiple places - at home, school, work, their car - so enhancing access to life-saving asthma medicine will undoubtedly reduce the morbidity of asthma in New Zealand." The change would make asthma management significantly easier, particularly for families facing transport barriers or juggling multiple repeat prescriptions, Ms Harding says. "When you have to visit the pharmacy every month, it becomes a real burden. "Allowing people to collect three months' supply at once removes that hurdle and supports better treatment adherence." Foundation Medical Director Professor Bob Hancox says the move is a good example of evidence-based, patient-centred care. "For the past five years, our guidelines have recommended 2-in-1 anti-inflammatory reliever inhalers for most adults and adolescents with asthma, as they are much better for preventing exacerbations than the traditional blue relievers. "As well as benefiting patients, this decision will reduce the burden on the health system by preventing asthma exacerbations and hospital admissions." Pharmac is also proposing that medical centres be allowed to supply a number of inhalers directly under a Practitioners Supply Order (PSO), enabling healthcare practitioners to supply patients with inhalers for emergency treatment. These changes come at a critical time. New Zealand continues to have some of the highest asthma rates in the developed world, with 1 in 8 people affected and 96 deaths each year (almost 2 people each week). The total economic cost of asthma to New Zealand's health system is estimated at $1.2 billion annually. © Scoop Media
Scoop
29-06-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Many Rentals May Still Fall Short As Healthy Homes Deadline Arrives
As winter grips the country, many Kiwis will go to sleep tonight in rental homes that may still be putting their health at risk. From midnight tonight, all private residential landlords must ensure their properties fully comply with the Healthy Homes Standards - a legal requirement introduced in 2019 to make rental homes warmer, drier, and healthier. These standards introduced minimum standards for heating, insulation, ventilation, moisture ingress and drainage, and draught stopping in rental properties. Yet despite having six years to prepare, questions remain about how many rental homes will truly be compliant come July 1. The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ warns that without effective enforcement, these standards risk leaving tenants, especially those with respiratory conditions, exposed to cold, damp homes that threaten their health. Foundation Medical Director Professor Bob Hancox says one thing we have learnt from research into housing and health in New Zealand is that many homes are too cold and too damp. "Having a warm and dry house is very important for respiratory health, particularly for people with respiratory diseases such as asthma or COPD. "Improving the quality of housing is one of the best ways to help people stay well through the winter." Currently, landlords can self-certify that their property meets the Healthy Homes Standards, and there is no requirement for an independent, physical inspection of the property. "Implementing the healthy homes standard would go a long way to keep people out of hospital and GP clinics, but at the moment, we don't know how well the standards are being applied," Professor Hancox says. The Foundation is renewing its call to the Government to require independent, accredited assessments of all rental homes to ensure that the Healthy Homes Standards are actually being met. New Zealand Institute of Building Inspectors Chief Executive Neville Scott says the fact that landlords can self-certify is a loophole that undermines the intent of the law. "We fully support the Foundation in their call to Government, as we see - all too often - cases where properties are signed off by landlords but clearly fall short of the standards. "Without qualified, independent inspections, there's no way to guarantee consistency or integrity in the process," he says. "It's like letting drivers issue their own warrants of fitness." According to Tenancy Services NZ, more than 600,000 households rent in New Zealand, and research shows that rental stock is of poorer quality than owner-occupied homes. A recent report by Stats NZ on housing in New Zealand revealed that almost 30 per cent of households that did not own their home experienced dampness at least some of the time. Those same households were more likely to experience visible mould over A4 size at least some of the time (22.9 per cent). Dr Lucy Telfar-Barnard, public health researcher and member of the Foundation's Scientific Advisory Board, says the current state of many rental properties is both unacceptable and avoidable. "We're still seeing families living in mouldy, poorly ventilated homes that actively worsen chronic conditions like asthma. "Effective enforcement of the healthy homes standards is essential for protecting our most vulnerable populations and reducing health inequities." The Foundation's call is part of its ongoing commitment to improve the health outcomes of those living with respiratory conditions in NZ.
Scoop
29-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Smokefree 2025: A Promise Gone Up In Smoke
Press Release – Asthma and Respiratory Foundation of New Zealand As the globe marks World Smokefree Day this Saturday, 31 May, the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ is reminding Kiwis that this was the year New Zealand was meant to become smokefree. Smokefree 2025 was within reach. Now, it's a milestone we're set to miss. As the globe marks World Smokefree Day this Saturday, 31 May, the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ is reminding Kiwis that this was the year New Zealand was meant to become smokefree. 'Instead, the Government rolled back the clock and stoked the fire, derailing years of public health progress,' Foundation Chief Executive Ms Letitia Harding says. Ms Harding says there is little to celebrate and much to be concerned about. 'We were on track to lead the world in tobacco control, now we appear to be leading the world in vaping. 'Our previous Smokefree laws were bold, evidence-based, and targeted at protecting future generations, but the repeal of those measures blindsided everyone.' The Foundation has been one of the strongest advocates for a smokefree Aotearoa for many years. It backed policies that would have phased out tobacco sales for future generations, reduced nicotine levels, and supported drastically cutting the number of retailers. Back in 2021, the Foundation celebrated the bold steps taken toward Smokefree 2025, calling it a 'significant step forward' in reducing respiratory disease and health inequities, particularly for Māori and Pacific communities. Fast forward to today, and the mood has shifted. The Foundation has been vocal in its disappointment over the coalition Government's decision to roll back key Smokefree laws, warning about the implications to the health of New Zealanders and a missed opportunity to lead the world in tobacco control. At the same time, the Foundation is deeply concerned by the new approach to achieving Smokefree Aotearoa – simply shifting the problem to vapes. 'The Government's strategy seems to be 'let's just add vapes to the mix', which is just another product that has harmful health effects and ensures future generations are nicotine dependent,' said Ms Harding. 'As we have said previously, that rationale is like letting stoats in to eradicate rabbits – that's not a solution. 'We're not breaking the cycle of nicotine dependency – we're just redirecting it,' she says. 'Let's free Aotearoa from the shackles of big tobacco, who make money on the back of nicotine dependency.' The goal shouldn't just be a smokefree New Zealand – it should be vape-free too, Ms Harding says. 'Otherwise, we're just chasing a new kind of addiction – and calling it progress.'
Scoop
29-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
Smokefree 2025: A Promise Gone Up In Smoke
Smokefree 2025 was within reach. Now, it's a milestone we're set to miss. As the globe marks World Smokefree Day this Saturday, 31 May, the Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ is reminding Kiwis that this was the year New Zealand was meant to become smokefree. "Instead, the Government rolled back the clock and stoked the fire, derailing years of public health progress," Foundation Chief Executive Ms Letitia Harding says. Ms Harding says there is little to celebrate and much to be concerned about. "We were on track to lead the world in tobacco control, now we appear to be leading the world in vaping. "Our previous Smokefree laws were bold, evidence-based, and targeted at protecting future generations, but the repeal of those measures blindsided everyone." The Foundation has been one of the strongest advocates for a smokefree Aotearoa for many years. It backed policies that would have phased out tobacco sales for future generations, reduced nicotine levels, and supported drastically cutting the number of retailers. Back in 2021, the Foundation celebrated the bold steps taken toward Smokefree 2025, calling it a "significant step forward" in reducing respiratory disease and health inequities, particularly for Māori and Pacific communities. Fast forward to today, and the mood has shifted. The Foundation has been vocal in its disappointment over the coalition Government's decision to roll back key Smokefree laws, warning about the implications to the health of New Zealanders and a missed opportunity to lead the world in tobacco control. At the same time, the Foundation is deeply concerned by the new approach to achieving Smokefree Aotearoa - simply shifting the problem to vapes. "The Government's strategy seems to be 'let's just add vapes to the mix', which is just another product that has harmful health effects and ensures future generations are nicotine dependent," said Ms Harding. "As we have said previously, that rationale is like letting stoats in to eradicate rabbits - that's not a solution. "We're not breaking the cycle of nicotine dependency - we're just redirecting it," she says. "Let's free Aotearoa from the shackles of big tobacco, who make money on the back of nicotine dependency." The goal shouldn't just be a smokefree New Zealand - it should be vape-free too, Ms Harding says. "Otherwise, we're just chasing a new kind of addiction - and calling it progress."
Scoop
04-05-2025
- Health
- Scoop
"Please Don't Die Today" - A Mother's Fight Against Asthma
"I love you, Mummy. Please don't die today." That's what Jade Steven's five-year-old son whispered to her one morning before school. For Jade, a mother-of-three from Wellington, those words captured the fear that comes with living - and parenting - while battling asthma. This World Asthma Day (on Tuesday 6 May), Jade, 37, is sharing her story to raise awareness of those living with asthma. Jade was diagnosed in her late 20s with brittle asthma - a rare and severe form of the disease, more commonly referred to now as severe or difficult-to-control asthma. At the time, she was being admitted to hospital nearly every month, with long stays in intensive care and repeated courses of oral steroids. All this while raising three young boys. "I wanted to be the kind of mum who could be there for everything - every school pickup, every bedtime story - but instead, hospital beds replaced family dinners. "I'll never forget the moment I dropped my youngest off at school one day. He was just five. He kissed me goodbye, paused, and whispered, 'I love you, Mummy. Please don't die today.' "I reassured him, but inside I was breaking. That fear - his and mine - was all too real." Today, thanks to a biological treatment, Jade's condition is under control and her symptoms are manageable. "The treatment gave me my life back. "The hospital visits have become rare, and I've finally been able to stop taking steroids." Her children are now teenagers and she's able to be the mum she always wanted to be at the beginning, she says. "I can go to my eldest son's band Intercite gigs, school events, quad bike adventures, or just sit on the couch and watch a movie without them having to worry that Mum might be going to hospital again." Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ Chief Executive Ms Letitia Harding says Jade's story shows the reality of asthma that many New Zealanders are still unaware of. "Jade's experience is a reminder that asthma can affect people in very different ways, and for some, it's far more serious than many realise. That's why World Asthma Day is so important in raising awareness, Ms Harding says. "We need to lift the stigma, increase awareness, and ensure everyone understands just how serious this condition can be." This year, the Foundation is marking World Asthma Day by launching its first-ever Blue Shirt Day campaign. Blue Shirt Day calls on all Kiwis to wear blue, share stories like Jade's, and support better research, education, and access to life-saving treatments. In New Zealand, asthma affects 1 in 8 adults and children, kills an average of 96 people each year, and is responsible for the hospitalisations of thousands of children - many of whom will have had a potentially life-threatening asthma attack.
