DeMint Tries to Halt Ban on Over-the-Counter Asthma Inhaler

FOX News ^ | October 18, 2011 | FoxNews

[Irenic]

Sen. Jim DeMint is trying to stop the federal government from banning a popular over-the-counter asthma inhaler, introducing an amendment that would yank funding for the ban set to go into effect in January. The Food and Drug Administration rule would take off the shelves the epinephrine asthma inhaler known as Primatene Mist. The product is currently the only FDA-approved over-the-counter inhaler and is being banned because it uses something called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as a propellant -- the substance is considered harmful to the ozone layer.

[Rapscallion]

Thank you. You are correct. I did misread the article. DeMint is a good man and I really thought he had lost it but I was the one who misunderstood.

[capt. norm]

Has DeMint lost his marbles?

The tiny amount of CFC's in those little inhalers would NOT ruin deplete the ozone layer.

There are times, for an asthma suffer when they are very badly needed...you can't always carry a prescription around.

[algernonpj]

... The tiny amount of CFC's in those little inhalers would NOT ruin deplete the ozone layer. ...

Actually the ban on CFC's is based on pure junk science.

However it is financially very beneficial to large global chemical producers and large global pharma, i.e. a prime example of crony capitalism.

[capt. norm]

Actually the ban on CFC's is based on pure junk science. However it is financially very beneficial to large global chemical producers and large global pharma, i.e. a prime example of crony capitalism.

Absolutely correct.

DuPont was faced with an expiring patent on Freon, so they pressured some politicians to have it banned "for the environment" so they could roll out a newly patented replacement.