US phase-out of inhalers
September 23, 2011
US ASTHMA sufferers who rely on
epinephrine inhalers containing
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are
being warned to find alternative
means of asthma management,
with the news that the Food and
Drug Authority has placed a ban on
their sale after 31 December 2011.
The inhalers, sold over the
counter without prescription in
pharmacies across the US, are being
phased out to comply with the
Montreal Protocol on Substances
that Deplete the Ozone Layer, of
which the US was a signatory.
Under the agreement America
agreed to phase-out substances
that deplete the ozone layer,
including CFCs, after certain dates.
In light of the impending cut-off
date, many manufacturers
switched from CFC use to a
propellant called hydrofluoroalkane,
however these medications are
only available via prescription.
“If you rely on an over-thecounter
inhaler to relieve your
asthma symptoms, it is important
that you contact a health care
professional to talk about
switching to a different medicine
to treat your asthma,” the FDA said
in a statement.
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