The FDA, obeying some AlGore Treaty, has banned the remarkably successful CFC-powered Albuterol inhaler effective 1/1/09.
If you were using it to keep breathing, well, tough. Die.
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration in April 2005 mandated that all (including albuterol) inhalers containing chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) will be prohibited in the United States as of 12/31/2008. CFC inhalers had previously been given "essential use" status, exempting it from a CFC-production ban, however in accordance with the Montreal Protocol they will be phased out...
Even if the new model actually works for you (more on that later), the "cost of healthcare" will rise due to this Gummint order:
One drawback of this transition to HFA inhalers is that due to patent restrictions all of the HFA albuterol inhalers are "brand-name" (ProAir, Proventil, and Ventolin). They cost approximately $20 more per inhaler than existing generic CFC albuterol inhalers
Another drawback that is coming to light now as the use of HFA/HFA+ethanol inhalers is expanding seems to be a far higher intolerance of the new inhalers compared to CFC propellant in patients. Registered complaints run the gamut from "doesn't seem to work as well" all the way to serious anaphylaxis in response to using an HFA or HFA+ethanol inhaler.[2]
Albuterol is widely used, and accounts for anywhere from 78% of all bronchodilator prescriptions in 2005 to 85% in 2008. [3] However, patients in the United States who cannot tolerate the HFA albuterol inhalers will not have a single albuterol alternative available to them domestically after December 31, 2008.[4] The FDA did not approve any alternatives to HFA and there are few standard inhaled lung medications in the United States that come in Dry Powder Inhaler (DPI) versions. Noticeably missing is albuterol in DPI form in the United States, although it is available in most of the rest of the world in salbutamol DPIs.
If you thought Big Brother cared about you, you were wrong, sucka. Now shut up and just die, will ya?
HT: Sykes
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
10 comments:
Great. I know that works well for a couple of us.
I would SUE. SUE. SUE.
I don't think you are allowed to sue the government Amy. Or even the people who run or ran it. There must be a reason for this.
Hello,
My name is Cheri Modrow. I live in Milwaukee and I have asthma. Recently my inhaler was abruptly changed without my knowledge or consent to ProAir HFA. After researching why the change happened, I found that the CFC propellants in medical inhalers such as mine are being banned. I cannot tolerate the ProAir HFA and it actually made my asthma worse. I fear that others who have been switched to HFA propelled inhalers are having increased asthma symptoms, and may not even realize why. I want to help spread the word that many people are finding these new inhalers seriously inferior. There is a petition that I’d like to make asthma patients and those who care about them, or care for them, aware of. If you could help by spreading the word in your asthma community, that would be wonderful. Here is the link to the petition. On the right hand side of the petition is a place where those not tolerating the new propellant (HFA), can still find the generic CFC. Thank you for any help you can give.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/saveCFCinhalers/index.html
I don't think you are allowed to sue the government Amy. Or even the people who run or ran it. There must be a reason for this.
I suppose. Another reason why socialized, government-run health care is bad. They screw up, and you're dead. With no recompense.
Government bean-counters and enviro whack-nuts should leave medicine up to those who, you know, went to med school.
You just don't understand...the (non-existent, politically-motivated, totally non-scientific)) AlGore (hypocrite) Climate Religion requires the death of some for the adulation of of the all-powerful Gaia (all powerful except for that-again, non-scientific-pesky anthropogenic Global Warming stuff).
If you want to save CFC MDIs, join our campaign at:
savecfcinhalers.org
Arthur Abramson
The National Campaign to Save CFC Asthma Inhalers
Dad29, Thanks for writing about this important issue. Please check out my personal humorous take on this:
Breathing and My CFC Albuterol Inhaler
I also want to point out that this isn't even a treehugging vs. conservative issue for asthmatics. From any viewpoint it is amazing to me that the Clean Air act with all its misinformation got this far. But I know that sometimes I'm just naive! I encourage everyone who either has asthma or is asthmatic themselves to join the above mentioned national campaign. There is so much useful information on their website. I have already made initial contact with my US Congressman. The campaign's goal is legislation, not cursory info from the FDA telling asthmatics how to use the new inhalers (like this is news to us). Thanks again!
Thank you so very much for having this blog! Of course, I have been in a remote area for 8 months and haven't stayed up on the news... I can't believe this...I just can't believe this. I have two prescriptions for my beloved "real albuterol" inhaler (the pharmacy held the scripts for me, and of course, I am coming down with an upper respiratory infection and my "crazy conservative mind" thinks I might need them)and to my horror was told they didn't have any. When would they be in, I said as I panicked. Don't make it anymore. What?! What could be worse than horror? Death? Out of stock is bad enough. Hopefully, not one more asthmatic will suffer or die from this, (I know, my perfect wish) but if they have, let it not be in vain! Thank you for the information on the petitions, etc., thank you, thank you, thank you....don't know what I'm going to do, but I'm a fighter. See you at the front lines!!!!!
HFA inhalers DO NOT WORK!
Read the thousands of complaints:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/saveCFCinhalers/signatures.html
This particular petition has 4000 signatures and is growing everyday. There are also many complaints at consumer affairs:
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/health/hfa_inhalers.html
More complaints:
https://www.savecfcinhalers.org/Guestbook.php
http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=20503&name=PROVENTIL-HFA
If you are unhappy with the new HFA inhalers, kindly sign the petition to save CFC inhalers.
http://www.savecfcinhalers.org
The National Campaign to Save CFC Asthma Inhalers
Post a Comment