For the parents of 22-year-old Cole Schmidtknecht, the pain of losing their son is compounded by a heartbreaking reality — they believe his death was entirely preventable.

Cole, a young man from Wisconsin with a bright future ahead of him, had lived with chronic asthma since he was an infant, according to The Kansas City Star. Despite his condition, he managed to lead a full life thanks to daily doses of Advair Diskus, a preventative inhaler.

For years, Cole’s medication was affordable and covered by his insurance. That all changed in January 2024, when a trip to Walgreens pharmacy delivered shocking news: his life-saving medication was no longer covered.

Cole visited his local Walgreens on January 10, 2024, to refill his prescription as he always had. But instead of paying his usual $66, he was told his insurance no longer covered Advair Diskus. The pharmacist allegedly told him there were no cheaper alternatives or generics available and failed to contact his doctor or insurance company to seek a solution

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Feeling panicked, Cole tried to find other options to cover the cost of his inhaler. He reached out to his doctor and insurance company, but was met with dead ends. With no other choice, he decided to pay the full price of $539 for the medication that had kept him alive for so long.

Tragically, just a few weeks later, Cole was found unconscious in his apartment. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The cause of death was determined to be an asthma attack, as he had run out of his medication and could not afford to refill his prescription at the inflated price.

Cole’s parents were devastated by the loss of their son, but they were also outraged. They filed a lawsuit against the makers of Advair Diskus, claiming that the sudden price increase directly led to their son’s death. They argued that the pharmaceutical company had put profits over people by making the medication unaffordable for those who needed it most.

The lawsuit gained national attention, shedding light on the issue of skyrocketing prescription drug prices in the United States. Many others shared similar stories of struggling to afford life-saving medication, and calls for reform grew louder.

In the end, Cole’s parents hoped that their lawsuit would bring justice for their son and prevent others from facing the same fate. They wanted to ensure that no one else would have to choose between their health and financial stability.

The tragic death of Cole Schmidtknecht serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of greed in the pharmaceutical industry. His story is a powerful call to action for change and a reminder that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege.