Mainstream media ran with the headlines banning certain asthma medications, confusing many patients.

The bottom line is that long-acting beta agonists alone, like Serevent, are no longer indicated for asthma. Those combined with an inhaled steroid, like Advair and Symbicort, remain safe.

Patients however, are confused, as internist Matthew Mintz cites an example where “one patient whose previously poorly controlled asthma was improved with Advair, but stopped because of an article she read in Men’s Health Magazine.”

He goes a step further and wants the FDA to remove the warning pertaining to Advair and Symbicort, which will be “the only way to reassure doctors, patients, critics and the media” about the safety of these medications.