Put people first [Environmentalists outlawed the best asthma inhalers!]

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | December 29, 2007 | SHAWN PIRRUNG

[grundle]

This is the problem with the politicians, and especially those who are so worried about the environment: They forget what and who is important -- people. The reason I say this is because of what has happened with prescription inhalers used for asthma treatment.

I recently needed to refill my inhaler and was told by the local pharmacist that the inhaler was now different because it contained ingredients that harmed the ozone layer. However, these ingredients were the most effective for helping calm down an asthma attack.

I was also informed by the pharmacy that since the medication was altered, it was not covered by my prescription coverage because it is now considered a new medication.

To make a long story short, I had a minor asthma attack and this new, altered inhaler did almost nothing to help. I then went to the emergency room and needed to receive a couple of breathing treatments to settle down my breathing. I then informed the ER doctor what inhaler I used and he actually began to laugh, saying, "It's crazy that the medication would be altered like this. Don't they know how many millions of people rely on inhalers for asthma relief?"

I was diagnosed as asthmatic when I was about 7 or 8 years old and have needed to use inhalers every day since. I ask you this: What happens to the elderly who rely on inhalers also and who are on fixed incomes? Will they receive the same rude awakening when they are advised that these asthmatic medications are now not covered by insurance because they supposedly harm the ozone layer?

[nygoose]

And the elimination of asbestos in the insulation on the steel infrastructure of the Twin Towers.

[steadfastconservative]

Yes, but the change in the propellant has increased the cost of the inhaler. My son was using an albuterol inhaler, which was a generic medication. Our co-payment on that was $10. When the new inhalers came out, he was prescribed Proventil HFA, which was a non-formulary drug with a $30 co-pay. What was worse was that while the albuterol inhaler had 30 days of medication in it, the new inhaler only had 20 days’. After complaining to the doctor’s office, I was able to get his doctor to prescribe a Xopenex HFA inhaler, which is a formulary drug with a $20 copay and a 30 day supply. This medication seems to be as effective as the albuterol but it is costing us twice as much.

The federal government has no business telling drug companies what kind of propellants should be used in asthma inhalers. I don’t care what effect the old propellant supposedly had on the environment, this kind of government meddling is a worse form of pollution.

[TigersEye]

Environmentalism is a cult much like extremist Islam.

[yorkie]

"Environmentalism is a cult much like extremist Islam".

And, in many cases, more dangerous.

[Kay Ludlow]

And, in many cases, more dangerous

You've got that right! The Islamists will give us a "choice" of convert or die; the environmentalists just want 5 billion of us to die - doesn't matter who as long as it isn't them...

[tang-soo]

Same kind of thing happed during the late eighties when the ozone fright first started. My allergy medication used to come in an aerosol and was quite affective. Then around 88 or 89, the use of aerosols were outlawed (at least the accelerates used) which made the medication nearly useless.

[TigersEye]

With a majority of our politicians happily going along with it it certainly is more dangerous. Consider how many Presidential candidates believe humans are altering the climate.

Clinton
Obama
Edwards
McCain
Romney
Huckabee

And of course our current President has given AGW a tip of the hat.

I left the lesser Dem candidates out as they are a given.

[pandoraou812]

I am sick of all of this BS. Shaking my head some more...

[gitmo]

So which inhaler was whacked by the enviros?

[SouthTexas]

Supposedly any and all with CFCs as a propellant.

[TigersEye]

I am sick of all of this BS.

You can always go along to get along. Become a lib.

[pandoraou812]

Nah I highly doubt that will happen..Do you EVER see me as one??? EFF

[saveCFCinhalers]

“Proventil used the same formulation before and after the propellant change — there’s no difference in the medication.”

r9etb, if this is true, why does Proventil HFA state on its homepage:

“Rapid heart beat, vomiting, chest pain, and palpitation occurred more frequently with PROVENTIL® HFA.” (than with Albuterol CFC) See third line from the bottom of their homepage, LINK 4 on the petition (petition links are below).

Could it be the use of albuterol sulfate rather than albuterol base (which is used in CFC albuterol)? The use of HFA instead of CFC propellant? The combination of ethanol and oleic acid as an excipient rather than pure oleiec acid (which is used in CFC albuterol)? Or some interaction of the above? (Ethanol is listed as a toxic substance by the EPA, a Class 3 Residual Solvent by the FDA, exists in HFA inhalers (except for Ventolin) in doses high enough to register on blood alcohol tests, and has been shown to cause BRONCHOCONSTRICTION in a subset of asthmatic patients.) It is NOT the same medication.

To get the FACTS on the CFC INHALER BAN and fight to repeal it, sign our petition (use either link):

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

http://tinyurl.com/yphmp4