[retMD]

There are other excellent reasons to take inhalers like Primatene off the market. I have family members who are asthmatic, and I’ve told them not to touch the stuff. I’ve seen patients get into real trouble with Primatene who would have done fine with Albuterol.

The problem with the epinephrine inhalers is that the effects don’t last long, and sometimes people get a rebound effect - when it wears off, they’re much worse than they were before using. Albuterol is far safer. Primatene would never get FDA approval today.

[dangerfield]

I can't get to the bottom of this. Wyeth, the manufacturer of Primatine is claiming a nationwide shortage due to some "third party manufacturer". They recommend, simply, to go to the next store. And of course see your doctor.

Their alert is here

[muawiyah]

If there are other good reasons presumably that FDA committee was free to use them. On the other hand, they seem to be taking the action based on non-demonstrable linkage between inhalers and the ozone-hole over the Antarctic.

That's why I'm asking how many asthmatics there were on the committee ~ the next question is "why"?

On the face of it the FDA committee's recommendations seem to have been fraudulently developed and proposed.