Medication class
Respiratory
Inhalers, bronchodilators, and corticosteroids for asthma, COPD, and other lung conditions.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 36
- Medications
- 17
- With a generic
- 87%
- Avg generic savings
- 2
- In active shortage
Drug class assignments follow the FDA openFDA therapeutic classification, clinical details are drawn from FDA Structured Product Labeling via DailyMed, and unit-price comparisons use CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost data. See the full sources below.
Inventory versus report volume
Respiratory is inventory #9 of 22 (36 drugs) ≠ FAERS-volume #8. Nationally Mental Health is inventory #1 of 22 (77 drugs) ≠ Pain Relief FAERS-volume #1 at inventory #3.
- #9
- inventory
- 36
- tracked drugs
- #8
- FAERS volume
- #1
- Pain Relief FAERS nationally
According to FDA FAERS report totals and openFDA class inventory compiled on /methodology. Class size is not the same map as report volume. This page is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.
This class - generic availability cut
Exclusive DISTINCT-drug split of 36 medicines in Respiratory. Orthogonal to inventory vs FAERS dual and to the NADAC cost ChartBar.
dupilumab tops Respiratory NADAC at $1608.00/unit
Top 10 acquisition costs in this class (CMS NADAC)
- dupilumab
dupilumab
$1,608 per unit
- albuterol/ipratropium $117
albuterol/ipratropium
$117 per unit
- ciclesonide $43
ciclesonide
$43 per unit
- ipratropium $35
ipratropium
$35 per unit
- budesonide/formoterol $22
budesonide/formoterol
$22 per unit
- roflumilast $14
roflumilast
$14 per unit
- tiotropium $12
tiotropium
$12 per unit
- fluticasone/umeclidinium/vilanterol $10
fluticasone/umeclidinium/vilanterol
$10 per unit
- umeclidinium $10
umeclidinium
$10 per unit
- formoterol $9
formoterol
$9 per unit
What this shows dupilumab is the costliest in this class at $1608.00/unit; generics in the same class run a fraction of that.
Respiratory · #9 inventory of 22 therapeutic classes
13 classes have fewer tracked drugs; percentile 59 among PlainMeds categories.
Respiratory vs all classes by tracked-drug count
Where this class's inventory sits among every PlainMeds therapeutic category
36 9th of 22 higher than 13 of 22 classes
Classes, banded by tracked-drug inventory
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more classes. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source PlainMeds openFDA therapeutic-class inventory · 2026-05-15
Respiratory · lower generic band (47% vs 74% median)
47% of respiratory medications have a generic available, ranking #22 of 22 therapeutic classes (the typical class sits near 74%).
Source: CMS NADAC generic-availability flags across all PlainMeds therapeutic classes. The dot is this class; the line is the cross-class median.
aclidinium
Tudorza Pressair
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albuterol
Ventolin, ProAir, Proventil
Albuterol is a drug that helps you breathe easier.
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albuterol/ipratropium
Combivent Respimat, DuoNeb
Combivent Respimat is a combination medicine that helps open your airways.
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beclomethasone
Qvar
Qvar Redihaler is an inhaled medicine that helps control asthma symptoms.
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benralizumab
Fasenra
Fasenra is a medicine that can help treat severe asthma and EGPA.
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benzonatate
Tessalon Perles
Benzonatate is a medicine that can help relieve your cough.
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budesonide
Pulmicort, Entocort
Budesonide nasal spray is a steroid medicine.
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budesonide/formoterol
Symbicort
Symbicort is a combination medicine that contains a steroid and a long-acting bronchodilator.
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ciclesonide
Alvesco
Omnaris Nasal Spray is a medicine that helps treat nasal allergy symptoms.
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cromolyn
Intal
Cromolyn (Intal) is a medicine that helps manage mastocytosis, a condition where you have too many mast cells.
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dextromethorphan OTC
Delsym, Robitussin
Dextromethorphan is a medicine that helps to relieve coughs.
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dupilumab
Dupixent
Dupixent is a medicine that can help treat several conditions.
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fluticasone/salmeterol
Advair
Advair Diskus is a medicine that contains a steroid and a long-acting bronchodilator.
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fluticasone/umeclidinium/vilanterol
Trelegy Ellipta
Trelegy Ellipta is a medicine that contains three drugs in one inhaler.
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fluticasone/vilanterol
Breo Ellipta
Breo Ellipta is a medicine that contains a corticosteroid and a long-acting beta-agonist.
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formoterol
Foradil, Perforomist
Formoterol is a medicine that helps open your airways.
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glycopyrrolate
Seebri, Lonhala
Glycopyrrolate injection reduces body secretions before and during surgery.
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glycopyrrolate/formoterol
Bevespi Aerosphere
Bevespi Aerosphere is a medicine that helps people with COPD breathe easier.
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guaifenesin OTC
Mucinex
Guaifenesin (Mucinex) is a medicine that helps to loosen mucus in your lungs.
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indacaterol
Arcapta Neohaler
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ipratropium
Atrovent
Ipratropium is a medicine that helps you breathe easier.
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mepolizumab
Nucala
Nucala is a medicine that can help control certain types of asthma and other conditions.
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mometasone
Asmanex
Mometasone cream is a medicine that reduces skin inflammation and itching.
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montelukast
Singulair
Montelukast is a medicine that helps control asthma and allergies.
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olodaterol
Striverdi Respimat
Striverdi Respimat is a medicine that helps people with COPD breathe easier.
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omalizumab
Xolair
Xolair is a medicine that can help with asthma, nasal polyps, food allergies, and chronic hives.
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prednisolone
Orapred, Pediapred
Prednisolone eye drops reduce inflammation in your eye.
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pseudoephedrine OTC
Sudafed
Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) helps clear up a stuffy nose.
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roflumilast
Daliresp
Roflumilast (Daliresp) helps to reduce flare-ups in people with severe COPD.
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salmeterol
Serevent
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tezepelumab
Tezspire
Tezspire is a medicine that can help control severe asthma and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps.
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theophylline
Theo-24, Elixophyllin
Theophylline is a medicine that helps you breathe easier.
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tiotropium
Spiriva
STIOLTO RESPIMAT is a medicine that combines two drugs to help people with COPD breathe easier.
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tiotropium/olodaterol
Stiolto Respimat
Stiolto Respimat combines two medicines to help you breathe better if you have COPD.
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umeclidinium
Incruse Ellipta
Incruse Ellipta is a medicine that helps people with COPD breathe easier.
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umeclidinium/vilanterol
Anoro Ellipta
Anoro Ellipta is a combination medicine used long-term to help people with COPD breathe better.
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Respiratory · mid-corpus inventory (#9 of 22)
Respiratory is inventory #9 of 22 (36 drugs) ≠ FAERS-volume #8. Nationally Mental Health is inventory #1 of 22 (77 drugs) ≠ Pain Relief FAERS-volume #1 at inventory #3. 36 medicines tracked; 17 carry a NADAC generic flag; 2 in active FDA shortage.
Classes nearest Respiratory by inventory size
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.