Great News for the Environment But Maybe Not for Patients: Your Inhalers are Now Going Green
The FDA has jumped on the bandwagon in the plight for going green by advising patients to switch from their chloroflorocarbon (CFC)-propelled albuterol inhalers to hydrofluoroalkane (HFA)-propelled inhalers. Why? Because those naughty little CFC-propelled inhalers are harming the environment by contributing to depletion of the ozone layer.
CFC-propelled inhalers are being phased out and will no longer be available in the USA after December 31, 2008. To date, the FDA has approved three HFA-propelled albuterol inhalers that are safe and effective replacements for the CFC-propelled inhalers. The FDA urges all patients using the HFA-propelled inhalers to talk to their health-care providers about making the switch as soon as possible.
Albuterol inhalers are used to treat wheezing caused by bronchospasm in patients with asthma and COPD, which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Using an albuterol inhaler is an effective way to deliver the medication directly to your lungs providing faster relief of symptoms.
The bad news...HFA-propelled inhalers may be more expensive. In a article written about the switch by the American Lung Association, Norman H. Edelman, M.D., Chief Medical Officer says, "Depending on your insurance, these new inhalers may be more expensive, but our hope is that as more people move to the CFC-free delivery method that the price will come down".
The HFA-propelled inhalers will cost anywhere from $30 to $60, compared to the $5 to $25 for a generic CFC-propelled inhaler. While insurance companies may break down and cover some of the cost for people who are lucky enough to have health-care coverage, the price difference will have a greater impact on those patients who don't have health insurance.
Read more about switching your CFC-propelled inhalers to HFA-propelled inhalers if you are interested in helping keep America green. You can also find out more about price differences and what you can do about reducing your dependence on albuterol inhalers by visiting the American Lung Association.
Some people are really MAD about this and rightfully so. If you are affected by this, sign the petition to save your CFC inhalers in the COPD Forum.
Photo of "Albuterol Inhaler" © flickr.com, user raydawg
Comments
It is a nice step, considering the environmental issues. But troublesome for the people living in areas with very little resources, as the prices are higher.
Thank you for your comment. I am hoping that insurance companies will jump on the bandwagon as well, and give people a break who are trying to help the environment. Perhaps that is something that should be regulated, especially in newly diagnosed patients who don’t already have inhalers. Feel free to share your comments in the COPD forum, as well.
Hmmmm…I wonder how much the “more expensive” will be. I have an albuterol inhaler for use with asthma…granted its not very often…but I wouldn’t be happy if it was much more expensive (though I do like green things much)
Vanessa, I just added that information in the post. Thanks for bringing it to my attention and for your comment.
Since the propellant HFA 134A was never tested on pulmonary patients I find it hard to believe the FDA would choose the current patients as their test subject! Many of us are allergic to the Ethanol now contained in the formulation, a known toxin to Asthmatics causing severe bronco-spasm! Join our Campaign to Save CFC Inhalers or just google us-see what thousands of us are going through.
Wow, that is very interesting information. Can you please share more about this in the COPD forum at http://forums.about.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?nav=messages&webtag=ab-copd.
Thanks.
As much as I want to help the environment, I think this is just an excuse for the drug companies to release a new product that they can charge more for.
Yeah it would be nice if the Insurance companines jumped on the going green wagn and stepped up to help cover costs. I’m not going to hold my breath waiting for that to happen though as they see to be all about making money rather than giving aid.
As a long-time sufferer from serious and chronic asthma I am very unhappy about this change. My insurance already has $800 per month premiums (being self-employed I eat this entire cost), a $5,000 annual deductible on major medical, a $2,000 deductible on durable medical goods (our insulin pump supplies), a $250 per person (there’s 5 of us) deductible for prescriptions and then $40 co-pays for every prescription.
I am sure my insurance is similar to most: a discount if generic is available, no discount if one is not. The FDA should pay for this increase by giving us fewer choices. This will be yet another out-of-pocket expense that is hard to afford.
Hey, at least with all us asthmatics who will not be able to breath without inhalers we will be spewing fewer carbon dioxide particles into the air. Of course, without inhalers, we could also die. Then our decomposing bodies would spit more carbon into the air!
Yes, I am mad.
Katherine: that is an interesting concept. I wonder if it is true? I acutally applied to be a pharm rep a few years back for a major drug company whose name shall remain anonymous. I was apparently too old and too brunette, most people told me. They want young, blonde barbie dolls to sell the products to the docs so their tongues hang out so low they won’t think twice about the fact that the generic drugs work just as good as the expensive brand names, at least most of the time.
Sukhmandir: Yeah, you would be holding your breath, my friend, for a very long time, I’m afraid!
Lalhe: Did you see the petition in the forum about this:
http://forums.about.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?folderId=8&listMode=13&nav=messages&webtag=ab-copd
Thanks! I just chimed in at the forum. My significant other, an attorney, just made sure that trial lawyers on a national list serve were made aware of this information. I am sure that this issue is far from being a “done deal.”
Lahle, please keep us posted in the forum about this. Thx….
Already, my parents make trips to Mexico to buy dad’s inhalers to save money. This is a very big issue.
It is a crying shame that people are forced to drive to another country to get much needed medication. I am so sorry. I am ashamed of U.S. healthcare at times.
Hey all,
Maybe they should phase out cars and we should all go back to horses…..now that is a solution to the ozone layer!
I think we should be more concerned about the huge amount of propellant that is used to send rockets into space than the small amount of propellant that is used in an inhaler, I mean come on people.
By the way, I have both types of inhalers and in my humble opinion, the HFA inhaler does not work half as good as the CFC inhaler.
Anyone who has experienced adverse effects-please file a Medwatch complaint with the FDA-we need our voices to be heard!
I heard about this issue a while ago. While I’m all for the reduction of waste, and increased safety of medications, it’s funny how so many industries slap an ‘environmental’ label on something and expect the public not to notice other flaws. Going green is great, but it certainly shouldn’t be at the cost of peoples’ safety, or even lives.
i am a refrigeration/air conditioning installation/service engineer with copd i have inhailed refigerant gas for about 36years
and smoked but the fridge gas when inhailed lies inthe bottom of your lungs so when you breath yo do not inhail enough oxegen to my mind it also attacted my lungs/
Alan: While I agree with your comment, I also see that there is a current need for change to keep the environment safe, which I think calls for a change in the way we look at everything, including inhalers, cars, rockets, etc, etc.
Courtney: Perhaps, in time, these flaws will be worked out as manufacturers take heed to all the flack they are getting from public opition.
Barry: I appreciate your comment and hope that you are seeing a doctor for this. Please visit often for updates and new information about COPD. I hope the site has and will continue to help you in understanding your disease.
Thanks to all for your comments, thus far.