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February 13, 2006
UPDATED: What you need to know about the latest FDA recommendation regarding inhalers containing CFCs…
A Food and Drug Administration panel recently came out with the recommendation to ban some non-prescription inhalers used to treat asthma because the devices contain CFCs which have been shown to harm the protective ozone layer.
Back in the 1990s, an international treaty known as the Montreal Protocol placed a ban on the use of CFCs. The American Lung Association led the successful effort to secure an exemption for metered dose inhalers (MDIs) from the Montreal Protocol, since CFCs have long been used as propellants in many of the MDIs used by lung disease patients. The exemption was needed to give MDI manufacturers time to develop CFC-free devices and provide an adequate transition period for physicians and patients.
This current recommendation applies to over-the-counter inhalers only. The ban on prescription inhalers containing CFCs is not scheduled to go into effect until the end of 2008, although there are already options in the marketplace now that offer a CFC-free alternative.
The American Lung Association highly recommends that people with lung disease work closely with their physicians to develop proper breathing management plans, which often include the use of prescription drugs. We do, however, recognize that a ban on the non-prescription inhalers could be a detriment to the health of individuals who can’t afford proper healthcare.
While we agree with the FDA’s recommendation, the announcement highlights the need for all people with asthma and other lung diseases to have access to regular medical care and life-saving medicines.
If you are having difficulty paying for your prescription medicine, please contact the Partnership for Prescription Assistance at 1-888 4PPA-NOW or 477 2669. Their website is www.pparx.org.
Click here if you’d like to read our statement on the proposed ban.
One final note …there have been several reports of a shortage of inhalers, but we have not been able to confirm that to be true. If you are concerned, please check with your doctor and pharmacist to see if your local area is affected.
Posted by lungblogposter at February 13, 2006 07:20 AM
