Asthma Inhalers To Go Green

(CBS/ AP)  Old-fashioned asthma inhalers that contain environment-harming chemicals will no longer be sold at year's end - and the U.S. government is urging patients not to wait until the last minute to switch to newer alternatives.

Patients use inhalers to dispense airway-relaxing albuterol during asthma attacks.

Chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, once were widely used to propel the drug into the lungs. But CFC-containing consumer products are being phased out because CFCs damage the Earth's protective ozone layer. As of Dec. 31, asthma inhalers with CFCs can no longer be made or sold in the U.S. Inhalers instead will be powered by ozone-friendly HFAs, or hydrofluoroalkanes.

The ozone layer shields the planet from harmful ultraviolet radiation.

Patients have been warned of the change for several years, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an advisory last week saying anyone still using CFC inhalers should ask their doctor about switching now.

The FDA warns that patients will face a learning curve: HFA inhalers may taste and feel different. The spray may feel softer. Each must be primed and cleaned in a specific way to prevent clogs. And they tend to cost more.

Users will have to wash the plastic mouthpiece more frequently and dry it overnight, CBS' The Early Show medical correspondent Dr. Emily Senay said.

CFC-free albuterol inhaler options include GlaxoSmithKline's Ventolin HFA, Schering Plough's Proventil HFA and Teva Specialty Pharmaceuticals' ProAir HFA. Sepracor's Xopenex HFA is also CFC-free, but it contains levalbuterol, a similar medication.

The FDA said Armstrong Pharmaceuticals is the sole remaining maker of CFC inhalers and is expected to stop production even before the deadline. A spokesman for Armstrong's parent company would not say when production would stop, but sales of remaining inventory will continue until Dec. 31.

[michellem99-2009]

Gramma,ye good people. IT IS SAD THAT THE INHALERS YE NEED ARE SO WEAK THEY ARE USELESS. It is sad that the smog is so thick that people with health issues can''t go out doors. People smoke they are just a small part. THE CAR IS WORSE AS PEOPLE WILL NOT MAINTAIN THRM. they are more dirty when groped together ye know what comes out the tail pipe..We don''t need the car races as they are a watse. Ye need to use them for work. That is fine. Joy riding is over or should be.

[premretire]

All asthma, COPD, and other pulmonary patients who KNOW that the new HFA inhalers are NOT as safe and effective as CFC inhalers for ALL patients (despite the repetitive LIES from the FDA and the Asthma and Allergy Network Mothers of Asthmatics- who petitioned the FDA to speed up the CFC inhaler ban, by the way, and have taken a LOT of drug company money over the years) are strongly encouraged to join our campaign to rescind this incredibly dangerous and idiotic ban by googling ''save cfc'' and signing our petition- emailed campaign instructions for all petitioners will be sent on Tuesday, June 10.

Google ''save cfc''

Or use this link:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/saveCFCinhalers/

WE DEMAND that the FDA FINALLY RELEASE ALL of the U.S. postmarketing data for Proventil HFA and Ventolin HFA which it found to be "adequate" to determine that patients were "adequately served" by HFA albuterol inhalers.

The National Campaign to Save CFC Asthma Inhalers

Our website savecfcinhalers.org will go live 6/10/08

[premretire]

All asthma, COPD, and other pulmonary patients who KNOW that the new HFA inhalers are NOT as safe and effective as CFC inhalers for ALL patients (despite the repetitive LIES from the FDA and the Asthma and Allergy Network Mothers of Asthmatics- who petitioned the FDA to speed up the CFC inhaler ban, by the way, and who have taken a LOT of drug company money over the years) are strongly encouraged to join our campaign to rescind this incredibly dangerous and idiotic ban by googling ''save cfc'' and signing our petition- emailed campaign instructions for all petitioners will be sent on Tuesday, June 10.

Or use this link:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/saveCFCinhalers/

WE DEMAND that the FDA FINALLY RELEASE ALL of the U.S. postmarketing data for Proventil HFA and Ventolin HFA which it found to be "adequate" to determine that patients were "adequately served" by HFA albuterol inhalers.

[hypnotoad72]

I agree; it''s funny how these tiny inhalers are more destructive than all those ATVs packin'' mud in un-designated trails.

It''s also funny how the new inhalers cost more and aren''t as universally covered by insurance.

[shirleyjval]

When I first used the new inhalers I thought they weren''t working ''cause they''re so slow. But my doctor had me use my peak flow meter before and after I used it and it did work. Also there is help to pay for them as they do cost more than the old ones. You can find patiient assistance programs at www.breatherville.org/MDITransition

[grammawhamma]

I know this sounds crass and I really don''t mean it to. However, when you were all screaming about those nasty smokers ruining the environment (even though they were huddled outside in the cold) you were warned that someday karma would come back to bite you in the butt. Well here we go. Happy now?

[ggm1957]

My son has asthma and it is appalling that the albuterol inhaler was discontinued. That had such an impact on the environment, but I suppose all the snowmobiles and 4 wheelers have no impact. I do know we have to use vehicles to get places, but that doesn''t mean the snowmachines, race cars, 4 wheelers are necessary. That would have a much greater impact than the asthmatics do on the environment.

[alfredenuema]

What do they have to hide? Publish the statistics on the ozone loss from cfc inhalers compared to other comparable environmental ozone killers. Come on!!! Or do you think we (john public) are too smart to buy your crappy lies. Lobbyists put this through and you know it. Who has to gain monetarily from this and there is the truth being told. :)

[alfredenuema]

I think it''s pretty amazing that this conference which was initiated in Montreal, Canada dictated to the rest of us asthma sufferers. Socialized medicine there where you need to see a doctor for $25 just to get a prescription for over the counter Primatene Mist. Canadians and there socialized medicine. :(

[leenieb1]

ISN''T THERE ANOTHER WAY TO SAVE THE PLANET BESIDES KILLING OFF ALL OF THE ASTHMATICS? It would be interesting to know how many CFC''s are released during one spray. I have had asthsma since I was 3 yrs. old (now 39) & the only inhaler that worked for me is the one they have discontinued. I have used the new ones for the past 6 months and have suffered tremendously. I am outraged at the nonchalant attitude in the switch. I have to clean it more, it costs WAY more, and IT DOESN''T WORK! The reason a stronger burst of medicine is nice is BECAUSE WE CAN''T INHALE!!!!! Thanks pharmaceutical companies for the change - I''m sure you need the money.

**Disabling the "Publish" button really isn''t helping me have a happy Friday. I have to sit here and wait until YOU decide that I can send my comment? Great.