- Home>
- Physician's First Watch>
- Medical News
Transition to CFC-Free Inhalers Mandatory by Next Year
Your patients may be asking about a New York Times story that details the mandatory transition from inhalers with chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) to ones with ozone-friendly hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) by January 1, 2009.
Patients may notice that the newer inhalers:
- are about three times as expensive;
- must be pumped four times before use;
- have a weaker spray;
- require a slower inhale;
- need to be cleaned weekly.
The FDA says that it has logged over 400 complaints since January 2007 regarding the cost and functionality of HFA inhalers, the Times reports.
The four currently available HFA inhalers are Ventolin, ProAir, Proventil, and Xopenex.
LINK(S):
New York Times story (One-time registration required)
Published in Physician's First Watch May 13, 2008