According to The Detroit News, many low-income asthma patients across the country will be at-risk of missing doses of their asthma medication beginning in 2009, when CFC (chlorofluorocarbon) inhalers will become prohibited.
The FDA is probiting the use of CFC inhalers because of concerns that the chemical harms the Earth's atmosphere. New HFA (hydrofluoroalkane) inhalers, which are already on the market, cost about twice as much as CFC inhalers.
‘There are two possible solutions to this dilemma,’ Dr. Amanda Oates and Dr. Matthew Davis of the University of Michigan explain. ‘The FDA can amend its 2005 regulation to specify that CFC inhalers will be allowed until 2010, when HFA inhalers come off patent and less expensive generic alternatives will likely become available.
‘Even better, the FDA can delay the CFC phase-out until the most important of its original criteria for removing CFCs from inhalers has indeed been met: The patients who require non-CFC inhalers to control their asthma must be adequately served.’
For more information on HFA inhalers and to see comments from asthma sufferers who will be affected by the FDA regulation, see New HFA Inhalers Are Effective But Costly.