Posted on 05/30/2008 5:39:41 PM PDT by tobyhill
FRIDAY, May 30 (HealthDay News) -- Asthma inhalers that contain the drug albuterol to relax the airways also contain chemicals that harm the ozone layer. And these inhalers won't be available after this year, so U.S. health officials are urging patients to switch to alternative inhalers now.
Chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, are widely used to propel inhaled drugs into the lungs. However, products containing CFCs are being phased out, because the chemicals damage the Earth's protective ozone layer. CFC inhalers are being replaced by inhalers powered by HFAs, or hydrofluoroalkanes, which are ozone-friendly.
The change to HFA-powered inhalers has been in the works for several years, but the FDA issued an advisory on Friday, urging patients still using CFC inhalers to switch now. Inhalers containing CFCs will not be available after Dec. 31.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
ping
But the damn things do not work!! Nothing like finding out your inhaler needs to be cleaned because the ozone friendly inhaler clogged.
I have very mild asthma. These new inhalers are junk. I can’t imagine the panic of someone in a full-blown asthma attack reaching for one of these “rescue” inhalers only to find that it won’t.
Bunk and more bunk...
I tried one of the new ones, ProAir. It is MUCH more expensive than my old albuterol and doesn’t seem to work as well at all.
I’ve now found something else that works though. If anyone is in the same boat, you might want to try Combivent.
I don’t want a change from something that works for me. This ozone protection crap doesn’t work.
It’s obviously time to stock up on enough inhalers to last me for years to come.
I agree that this whole change is ridiculous. The amount of supposed ozone damage from these little units is negligible at best. Why put people in danger over this?
I use albuterol every night.
If I don’t take it, I don’t wake up.
Thank you for the info about Combivent. My son has severe asthma, a heart problem, extreme allergies, etc. I will give him this information.
I have been using the new inhalers for the past year. The quality of my life and the degree of activity I’m able to enjoy has been much reduced. I used to be able to run for two miles! Now I can barely jog half a block.
It’s the same medication, albuterol, but it’s driven out by a different propellant. Just doesn’t go as deeply into the lungs. VERY frustrating.
The only alternative is to get a nebulizer machine and some liquid albuterol and saline solution. This is what your doctor would do for you if you came into his office with a bronchospasm. The trouble is, of course, that you can’t take the nebulizer with you if you’re going on a hike or a camping trip, and it’s awkward to drag around even if you’re just going to the office. But when push comes to shove, it does work. No propellants, just drug + saline + air.
And take your inhaled steroids so you don’t need much in the way of bronchodilators.
This is more crap from the left. I can’t take it anymore. What are people that have asthma suppose to do? Albuteral is the drug in the inhalers that helps asthma, isn’t it?!!
Liberalism and environmentalism is deadly. Must be defeated.
I’m griping about it now but in December I’ll be forced to change something that has worked for me for years now. I’ll give your suggestion a try because I trust you and not some crack smoking politician that jumped on the ozone bandwagon.
Albuterol worked just fine when the dispensing mechanism (CFC's) actually propelled the medication. These new ones just kind of "spurt" and you need to really inhale to get the medication in where it needs to be. But guess what--when you need it is when you CAN'T inhale.
Stock up on them.
Oh ... and the new inhalers are thought to triple the cost to the patient.
I use mine so rarely that it lasts for quite a long time, but we already can’t get the CFC kind here in WI. Any idea where/how I could find a few to stock up on?
My 80 year old Mom needed one of these today. According to this news, she will be in trouble.
Geesh, I hate the people behind this crap.
Of course it would be more expensive and not work as well. The government said this is what asmatics have to use. The government said we could only use low-flow toilets. They use more water than the older ones because you have to flush more often! Can only wonder how the government mandate about the kind of TV reception we can have starting next February will work. It’s more expensive, that’s for sure. By the way, I’m a life long asmatic and have COPD. Doc put me on Advair. It’s ok but does not work as well as albuterol.
Dang. My albuteral-using husband won’t be happy to learn this latest enviro-fascist news. Thanks for posting, though. Good to know.
Almost past time ... your pharmacist is probably rationing them now. Best to ask. The expiration date will not be your friend, however.
It will be like the illegal toilets that are smuggled in from Canada. Unless they have been banned in Canada too. You never know with control freak idiots.
My mother isn’t doing too good today. She cannot walk well anymore. This asthma is scaring me with her because she seems even weaker.
The eviro busy bodies need to be stopped and forced to die by their own standards.
I really have had about enough of this.
Thank you for caring. You are very nice and it is appreciated.
They will find you. They made bringing Cipro back illegal a couple of years ago. They will do the same with Albuterol.
The enviro nazis are going to kill us all. But I'm really glad we got this well Republican president to protect us from the Democrats.
This is orders of magnitude nuttier than Howard Hughes and his germ-phobia.
Advair blows.
Sounds like your mom is in good hands and prayers she gets better. Asthma is very scary and sometimes deadly so if using the inhalers for saving lives means breaking the law then breaking the law is something that will be done.
try Combivent..
Not meant to replace fast acting inhalers.
Thanks, my Dad and Mom both are still with me. Great people they are. Mom is a spunky loving little gal.
I am worried about her, but she has Dad and good care, plus two kids who love her dearly!
I will lift you and your dear mother up in prayer; my mother is using these also, and we are in the same situation. It is so hard to watch them struggle... I guess I am just not used to seeing my mother having to use a walker and oxygen. I’m grateful that she is still with me, though! But these new inhalers are a disgrace...
I have several older adults in our church who are also heavily reliant on inhalers, and they are truly suffering with these new “ozone friendly” inhalers. They are saying they DO NOT WORK - but they are still required to pay WAY MORE for them...
I am so frustrated with these petty control freaks making life harder for these people who already suffer SO much.
This was exactly the sort of BS I thought would be addressed when the Republican party took power.
Bless your mother, she sound in about the same shape as my Mom. My Mom is in a pain with her back and the coughing from the asthma has made her really weak.
I have always thoought God led us to these things that eased suffering. He leads us there and nutty people take it away from those who benefitted from something so simple.
I had shots every week for 13 years as a kid for asthma. I did outgrow it for the most part, but every once in a while I need an albuterol inhaler. Scary stuff here.
I guess we can both pray our Moms will be with us longer. I really just am not ever going to be ready to lose her.
actually I wonder about those people who are sensitive to Florescent and halogen lights.
Will the envirowackos be as compulsive as they were with peanut shells?
Or will it be the needs of the many must sacrafice the few.
Control All Levels of Government
Control Economy
Control Fuel Production & Availability
Control Food Production & Distribution
Control Healthcare.....
Albuterol has been available in HFA propellants for quite some time now. The real scandal is with salmeterol, which doesn’t adapt well to HFA. It’s been replaced in the U.S. by a dry powder form that the user sucks into the lungs—not nearly as effective as the aerosolized version. I know from experience. I used Serevent Inhaler for several years, and was asthma-free. When the aerosolized version went off the market, I was forced to use the dry-powder variant, which didn’t work anywhere near as well. I can no longer call myself asthma-free, thanks to efforts by Glaxo to “save the ozone layer.”
When did this come before the people for a vote?
If greenhouse gases is the biggest problem facing mankind, why are we trying to fix the ozone hole which just serves to keep all those greenhouse gases in???
HA!
screw the sick people, the mother earth needs more worshipping.
Thanks for the information. I’ve saved it.
Aw crap, I need to get my albuterol inhalers now.
Save the asthma sufferers!
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