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September 22nd, 2011
01:56 PM ET
No more Primatene Mist in the U.S. after this yearThe Food and Drug Administration is reminding doctors and patients that Primatene Mist, the only nonprescription asthma inhaler in the United States, can no longer be sold or prescribed after December 31. Asthma patients are urged to get prescriptions for alternative medications, since this treatment option runs out at the end of the year, the FDA said Thursday. Primatene Mist, an epinephrine inhaler, made by Armstrong Pharmaceutical Inc., contains chlorofluorocarbons, a chemical known to deplete the ozone layer. After the United States signed an international agreement - The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer - to phase-out the compounds, the FDA announced in 2008, that these inhalers could not be made or sold in 2012. "If you rely on an over-the-counter 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," said Dr. Badrul Chowdhury, director of the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Rheumatology Products in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. Chlorofluorocarbons are chemicals that contain fluorine, chlorine, and carbon. With inhalers, they are used as a propellant to move the medication, helping the user to breathe it in. According to The National Library of Science at the National Institutes of Health, once released, the odorless, colorless and nontoxic compounds get into the Earth's atmosphere where they break apart and release chemicals that destroy the Earth's ozone layer. CFCs can last more than 100 years in the atmosphere. The FDA says a number of manufacturers have already replaced their CFC inhalers with a propellant called hydrofluoroalkane or HFA, which is more environment-friendly, but there's currently no HFA version of an epinephrine inhaler available. Epinephrine is a hormone that's used to treat life-threatening allergic reactions. It opens up the airways in the lungs and allows patients to breathe more easily. CFCs have been used in products like refrigerators, air conditioners, cleaning products and aerosols since the 1930s. Those products with CFCs were banned in the U.S. in 1995. They've been used in inhalers since the 1980s. Chowdhury says asthma patients can continue using an inhaler that's not empty by the December 31 deadline as long as the expiration date is still good. He says HFA inhalers are safe and effective, but warns they may taste and feel different. "Talk with your health care professional to make sure you are using it correctly and getting the correct dose." According to Chowdhury there are two prescription inhalers that still use CFCs. Those products are also part of the international agreement and they have phase-out dates of December 31, 2013.
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That stuff's bad for you anyway.
Not during an asthma attack when you are minutes away from death. You are a dope.
Ummm... not if you can't breathe!!
Not if you have asthma and can't afford the $40 prescription, which didn't work as well anyway for me.
Yeah, cause I'm sure something that has chemicals that deplete the ozone layer are great for you to inhale ...
These inhalers are trash and people just buy them to get high. If you want a safe high, buy weed. I was also given a prescription for an inhaler and threw that away. That crap is not good for you but at least you can use it against alien clowns.
nice, a 10 dollar product replaced with a 40 dollar product, thats fair.
Mahna Mahna,
Care to repeat that when you are dying from an attack?
I'm sure people are up in arms over asthmatics dying in droves in the developed countries like the EU that have already phased them out pursuant to the Montreal Protocol that all nations signed, and are protesting having to pay more for the sake and health of future generations, right?
Just another prime example of unintended consequences. CFCs where banned because of the hole in the ozone layer that we have since learned was NOT caused by CFCs but was part of a natural cycle. Politicians picked it up because it bought them a few votes with the environmental wackos and now here we are unable to use a good product that costs less then the prescription versions which for most people are no more effective.
Ron: You have actual, peer-reviewed data for that CFC statement?
Or are you just another denier, who is convinced that 90%+ of scientists are just making stuff up, because it disagrees with your politics and how you *feel* the earth should work?
All that and more. Now how many people at Armstrong Pharma are out of work because some govt scientist thought this is best thing for the "environment" ? There goes another American company.
don't listen to him he's making it up. CFCs do actually deplete the ozone layer. The hole was not part of a "natural cycle", it did being to repair itself but only after a lot of legislation was passed limiting pollution, aerosols, etc. The damage is still not reversed.
Also the other inhalers around do the exact same thing, they just don't contain CFCs. There's no reason for this product to exist anymore there are plenty of alternatives that don't cause harm to the environment.
I hate when people spew such misinformation....
iamfredman – there are many things more important than jobs. Environmental impact is one of them. A job won't matter when you develop melanoma from the tremendously increased exposure to UV radiation.
notice that you need to get a prescription inhaler now... hmmm... not sure ozone depletion is the real target here.
Well, you're just wrong. You just are. Now, my argument is a little weak so I'm going to say it a little louder, "YOU ARE JUST WRONG!"
I'll be considered a denier then. For years we've been told by a "consensus" of scientists that pesticides, mad cow, sars, or any other list of things was going to kill us all. There was a time when science said blacks and others were dumber than whites, do you take the scientists word for that too. My mother told me in the 70s the scientists said were all gonna freeze, you guessed it, a consensus again. Numbers of agreement don't make you right, results do and if the global warming hacks want everyone to take them seriously they should release there studies for rigorous testing like real scientists are supposed to.
If you rely on Primatene Mist you're fooling yourself anyway. If you feel you need a medication to help you breathe you should get something that actually works.
Go Lew.
"For years we've been told by a "consensus" of scientists that pesticides, mad cow, sars, or any other list of things was going to kill us all. There was a time when science said blacks and others were dumber than whites, do you take the scientists word for that too. My mother told me in the 70s the scientists said were all gonna freeze, you guessed it, a consensus again."
Not one statement in that was true.
There was never a consensus that there was a global freeze coming, not even close. There certainly has never been scientific consensus that blacks are dumber than whites.
And no one has ever said mad cow, sars or anything else 'was going to kill us all' let alone as a scientific consensus.
Hey medicalstudent. I hate it when people like you spew stupidity just because they believe it. God forbid I should get sick and end up in a place where you work.
Dutch: Your mother was wrong. There was not a consensus of scientists that believed there would be a new ice age. There was a small group that were quickly shot down. The media however, blew everything out of proportion. Second, yes, science *changes*. It changes all the time as we get new information. That is, believe it or not, how science works. Sometimes there are screw-ups (like your racism example) but science is self correcting. However, your other examples are not screw up. SARS is dangerous and its very likely that the only thing that kept it from getting much worse was active screening and quarantine. No one sad mad cow would kill everyone but it was incredible important to keep in out of the meat supply chain to prevent its spread – which is what we did. I don't see how that is a failure.
Most importantly if you are going to be a denier – if you are going to deny science then put your money where your mouth is and really deny it. Stop using your computer (based on science), the internet (science again), antibiotics (science), TV (science), etc etc etc...
Science works. You, on the other hand, not so much.
And just where is you evidence that it's false, or are you just repeating what you heard like mindless sheep? Because if you do your own research your can find extensive evidence that after the CFC ban the hole over Antarctica disappeared.
And just where is you evidence that it's false, or are you just repeating what you heard like mindless sheep? Because if you do your own research you can find extensive evidence that after the CFC ban the hole over Antarctica disappeared.
fredman, you won't complain now, but your children and their children will be glad the entire planet signed the Montreal Protocol to ban CFCs. Otherwise, half of them would be living permanently indoors or be sick with skin cancer when it's their turn to live in the world.
MedicalSTUDENT, (yes, this means you are still LEARNING–and you have a long way to go, obviously)
Jobs are important when you get melanoma from being in the sun because you cannot afford to put a roof over your own head.... (betcha didn't know that the life expectancy is much LOWER for homeless people–I know-they don't teach you that in school, eh?)
I have not seen a shred of evidence that suggests the ozone hole was not contributed to by human-produced CFCs.
Is there some reason that an HFA version of Primatene cannot be produced?
It has something to do with the patents and it is more expensive.
Can someone please explain to me how the CFCs reach the ozone layer after I've inhaled them into my lungs along with my Primatine?
@JustCurious – What? You never exhale after inhaling? You just keep getting bigger and bigger like a balloon?
JustCurious – When you exhale, you breathe out the CFCs into the air. They aren't absorbed into your body like oxygen, you simply exhale them out. A fair amount may not end up in your lungs at all as you won't even inhale them when you take a hit from your inhaler. Anyway, since they have such a long lifespan (100 years), it gives them plenty of time to diffuse into the atmosphere. When they reach the upper stratosphere, the sun's UV radiation provides enough energy to cleave the C-Cl bond. The free Cl radical catalyzes the break down of ozone (O3) into regular oxygen (O2), thus depleting the ozone layer.
when they change something like that, it goes back thru fda aproval, and will ba a prescription again.
Drug companies make more money if it is prescription rather than over the counter.
It's only more expensive because they have to replace the propellant with a healthier alternative to CFCs. Otherwise, it does the same thing. CFCs don't get absorbed like the medicine and oxygen does in your lungs.
As for the patents, users are better off asking why Armstrong Pharma didn't initiate the patent processing earlier, since they were given four years warning and it was a gradual phasing out of CFCs. We and the Chinese even delayed it after signing the Montreal Protocol with the rest of the entire world. Since PM is a popular drug, Armstrong clearly had the resources to get it done.
Thank you, Nick.... You just proved a point of mine. Someone above said that since the CFCs were banned, the ozone hole is all better now, proving that CFCs caused it.... Funny–it hasn't been 100 years yet. Seems like there's some sort of FLAW in this science, eh?
That's because nature repairs itself gradually over time, but not when you're pumping more CFCs into the atmosphere than it can repair. It's like alcohol, your liver can repair itself when you have a moderate amount, but you are in danger of getting cirrhosis when you always overdo it.
Sure, justcurious, no problem. When you unleash those propellants from the bottle, thankfully your body doesn't absorb them all. Personally, I don't think the small amount from this is a big deal as far as the ozone layer, but yes, it does exit your body. In a different manner, fluorine-based prescription drugs, such as Paxil, leave the body through urine, and flourine compounds are (scientific fact) one of the most poisonous groups of compounds known to man.
what lol u know wat is going on here dont u they are not selling over the counter anymore becuz they can way more money off it if u have to a prescription for it what this stuff sells for 8-9 over the counter now they can sell it for 100 – more for a prescription
Just another example of government overreach. People need these inhalers (my wife included) to possibly save their lives immediately. However, the entire Earth's ozone layer is MORE important? The amount of CFCs used by these inhalers is miniscule and very infrequent. Each cna only hols 2-3 ounces. This is just stupid govt nonsense. Now patients have to go to the doctor, get a new medicine that might not work as well or at all, pay presciption prices, doctor office visits costs, and medicine co-payments. Thanks for nothing.
Yes – the Earth's ozone layer is more important than your wife, though I am sure she is lovely. You can get a prescription for another medicine that does not contain CFC's.
That stuff is probably not good for your lungs either.. Im sure there is better stuff available.. maybe this is the incentive to produce that..
Yes. The ozone layer, which is needed by approximately 6 billion humans world-wide, is more important than making you go see your doctor 1 more time.
BTW, the FDA already tested the alternatives, they work.
So, quit your crying.
You missed the point. The inhalers don't contain enough CFCs to even matter. Giving them more time to work through patent issues, etc and produce a CFC-free version would not have caused any problems. Going this route, it's possible someone could wind up dying because they didn't know the inhalers were going to disappear from shelves. All for nothing.
Apparently (from reading this article) CFC's are not harmful as a compound, but harmful when they breakdown.
Bs is right actually.. It probably would doo more good to Legislate the petrol companies and industry into safer greener energy.. but we all know where that goes.. those people dont like being told wat to do.. AT ALL!!
"Giving them more time to work through patent issues, etc and produce a CFC-free version would not have caused any problems"
They have had 4 years. Other manufacturers seem to have had time to get theirs changed.
Yeah, you're missing the point Cedar Rapids. If they could have they probably would have. After all, they'd like to keep making money.
Well iof your wife was relying on Primatine Mist for her asthma I feel sorry. My son has asthma and relies on two differnt types of inhalers to control. One is his regular steroid that is given in the mornign and night and the other is his Adavir inhaler that he keeps with him for emergency's. There are alot of medicaitons out there that are much better and alot more friendly to the envirment and they don't cost that much (only $ 20.00 copay through a crappy health inusrance for an 80 dose (3 oz) canister for the steriod and la $15 copay for the advair which is a 120 dose (3.5 oz) canister which usually lasts him 2 months). this is not government overeach, this is the United Staes horoning its signature on a treaty signed onto by many countries. sorry if you feel that way but not everything made is good for us our our planet.
The prescription inhalers work fine, my cousin has used them for years. The EU nations don't even allow inhalers with CFCs anymore, and they don't have asthmatics dying in droves. Keep in mind they like to complain about everything even more than we do too. Just look at their reaction to the Davis case.
CW, the Europeans also have universal health care, so they don't have to worry about the COST....
Europeans don't worry about cost?? Ha. And yet Europe is going bankrupt as we speak.
Exactly, which is what I am actually irked about, and which is what everyone SHOULD be protesting. We need real and immediate healthcare reform, rather than politicians dragging their feet and dumping our problems and more by the truckload onto our children and future generations. We could have both solutions if our politicians would do the jobs they were elected to do. Healthcare easily can be and should be affordable for everyone. If other nations can do it so agreeably for their citizens, so can we.
Germany isn't going bankrupt, neither is the UK. The devil is in the details. You can have affordable healthcare, a clean environment, and happy citizens if the government makes reforms correctly. You can't put a price tag on the planet and environmental conditions your children and mine will have to live in.
It's not government overreach when something you actively do imposes on the rights of others. You should take a class in law. CFCs damage the ozone, exponentially elevating the risk of melanoma and other skin diseases. This could even affect children and future generations, worldwide. That's why the Montreal Protocol was signed in the 80s. Is it that hard to accept a propellant replacement for CFCs while also getting an affordable OTC inhaler (Armstrong is making one), when the tradeoff is that much worse? You want to explain to your grandchildren why they have to stay indoors all the time or why they have melanoma because you wanted to save a few dollars off each inhaler?
If something works it must be banned. We can't have people getting well without paying doctors huge inflated fees! How will the doctor pay for his yachts and golfing and mcmansion and condos and all...
You can't "get well" off a rescue inhaler, it doesn't treat the condition. It only saves you from the immediate emergency. A prescription inhaler is the only solution in the long run.
Just what poor people without health insurance need. Contrary to another comment, this inhaler is not bad for you, it can save the life of someone having an asthma attack. If you can't afford a prescription and there is no OTC choice, your only option becomes treatment at an ER, if you can get there in time. Asthma is such a treatable illness people forget it can be a deadly one as well. I won't be surprised in 2012 brings us human interest features about those who don't quite make it.
Thanks to President Obama, these people now have health insurance and can get a script for an inhaler without CFC's.
OF COURSE, there are NO GENERIC forms of inhalers that use HFA because it is patented – so it cost A LOT more money, even with health insurance (without, it is RIDICULOUS!!!). Having taken albuterol inhalers since I was 2 years old (I am 38 now), I have to agree with Ron about the CFC's. The health insurance won't cover the brand name, even though there is no generic available, and in my personal opinion, it is all profit-motivated. I always ask "Well, if it depleted the ozone, should I really have been shooting it into my lungs along with the medicine?" No one ever seems to have an answer for that one . . .
The article answers that one. What does being harmful to the ozone layer have to do with being harmful to lungs? Are the two similar in any way? The CFC is non-toxic at the levels it is administered. Just like the article says.
Well there is your real problem. The fact that people can patent anything medically related. The patent system is broken and being taken advantage of. Instead of being paid for coming up with something, you should be paid to manufacture and come up with the best version.
the answer is easy. Those in charge do not care about the health benifits or drawbacks to the common man. They only care about money.
Um, patents are the reason why new medicines get invented in the first place. That's why patents exist. To encourage the development of new stuff.
Actually, it's because CFCs are are unable to be absorbed into the bloodstream like the medicine and oxygen are. You exhale them back out.
reformulate it, take CFCs out, put something else in..
Really, guys? Primatene Mist depletes the ozone layer? Is this really the biggest target they could go after?
no, the target is CFCs, and ALL products that use them, you make it sound they just picked this one item.
They banned them all collectively years ago, and gave Primatene Mist a generous amount of time that they didn't give others. Nothing to complain about if you didn't complain back then. Not to mention, if you give them a pass, all the other companies that used CFCs would cry foul too.
if global warming is not real – like the politicans claim – then why worry about an inhailed product?
I mean if global warming is as fake as the politicans want us to believe, then why bother with this....
um, because the only people who dont "but" into the global warming thing are dumb, it is for sure a real event. And why would you believe what a politician said, they are all liers.
Sorry, you can debate global warming all you want, but not CFCs. It was proven, and collectively agreed to worldwide that CFCs were the cause of the very rapidly expanding hole in the ozone layer. That's why every single member nation of the UN signed the Montreal Protocol phasing our CFCs. Including ourselves, thought we've been dragging our feet along with China.
I know how many licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie pop, but how many inhales does it take to deplete the ozone layer? dumb
This is insane. What harm would it have caused to simply give them enough time to work through whatever issues are required to convert this inhaler to a non-CFC version. You take these off the shelves, and it's possible someone who wasn't aware of this could wind up dead. All because of a product that doesn't use enough CFCs to have any measurable affect on the ozone layer.
They've had four years to work it out. One inhaler might not have much effect, but millions do over time. Of course if there was less pollution overall there probably would be less asthma and less need for the inhalers.
Millions of inhalers would have less CFCs than a few old air conditioners. I don't think you grasp how little of the chemical is involved here.
And 4 years doesn't fix a patent issue.
i have no health coverage, and have been using these as a last defense against attacks , they have helped me many times. i have such bad attaks that i have nearly died and bruised or nearly broken my ribs from gasping for breath. primiatene saved me a couple times and s ten times cheaper. time to stock up .
Take care. Hopefully the ban will be delayed.
If not, surely you could find a free clinic to get the prescription.
And that's a take.....
If I were you I would move to Qyoming or Montana and see if your Asthma goes away. Every time I take my son camping in the hills away from the major citeies his Asthma always gets less severe. (unfortunatley my job requires I saty close to a big city, but in a few years I am going to retire up there)
If I were you I would move to Wyoming or Montana and see if your Asthma goes away. Every time I take my son camping in the hills away from the major citeies his Asthma always gets less severe. (unfortunatley my job requires I saty close to a big city, but in a few years I am going to retire up there)
They might push the date back again, I think they have before. The issue isn't the CFC's – there's an exception in the treaty that allows them for medically necessary uses, like inhalers. The issue here is that, back under the Bush administration, the FDA determined that over-the-counter inhalers weren't "medically necessary" because prescription versions were available. If you want to thank the government for this one, you've got to thank the Republicans.
Greed wins again !!
.
Yes, because everyone in gov't has the same political affiliation as the President. Give me a break.
Hopefully they will delay it as long as necessary.
As it is with 90% of the problems in the US today, thank you bush the jr. bush elder, regan, and nixon. 4 of the most evil men ever to breath american air.
@mickey – are you sucking the inhaler again? Nixon was dead before this even started. What are you smoking? Reagan too.
@mickey1313
Your funny man. Take a look under whos reign the deregfulation that started this mess began. It was under President Jimmy Carter in 1978, now granted alot of the rpoblems that we have today can be pointed back to some presidents but if you want to point fingers here is a little economic lesson for you. The changes that many presideints encated did not take full affect for many years until just recently. Until the advent of the inetrnet, elctronic banking, and sveral other milestones in human technology it could be years before a presidential poicy could be felt. Many of the policy changes that were enatced in the late 70's and 80' s were not fully felt until the mid 90's; however, today many of the polictical decsions that are made can be felt instantly because of how money is traded (you think that dollar in your pocket is real money?) between countires and how the policy is delievered. The biggest policy change to affect the United States was enacted by Nixon when he took America off the gold standard and only backed the US dollar by the faith of the US government.
Since you're going to focus on economics, then if you're for deregulation, why not deregulate everything, which we would actually make a bigger difference? Get rid of workers' rights, etc. I'm sure businesses would back that one fully. CFCs have more of an impact on the environment and less on the economy. Just look at the aerosols already phased out. A specific product from a specific company for a specific condition in a specific industry isn't going to drop us into a recession.
They've had four years to fix it. Not like this is a surprise.
It's a patent issue. 4 years isn't enough.
Perhaps you should learn to read more than just headlines.
Just like banning incandecent light bulbs, more liberal stupidity on display.
A) It will not be a complete ban, but a phasing out. B) This legislation was signed into Congress by Pres. Bush in 2007. Now who's displaying their stupidity?
Just in case "smart" is confused, I'm referring to his comments about the incandescent bulbs.
Hay, "smart", the bill was passed in 2007, thats before obama and the "liberals" had any power, this is 100% GOP, but nice try passing the buck (like every other GOP issue), so nice to see that the voters in america are so smart.
I'm sure a segment of the US population is the smartest in the world and the rest are all stupid, right? You do know pretty much every nation in the world signed onto the Montreal Protocol, and it's not specifically "the Feds" phasing out CFCs. And we along with China have already dragged our feet as long as we could. We're not more "special" than the rest of the developed world. Unless you consider yourself "special" of course.
If you don't like it, go complain to Bush who agreed with the rest of the world and the entire scientific community we should sign the Montreal Protocol in 2007 phasing out CFCs. You didn't hear? It was all over the news then. Sorry, but you're in your own little boat compared to what the rest of the world thinks.
This whole campaign was financially driven, with the first manufacturer on the scene (the maker of Pro-Air) having garnered an absolute windfall. I doubt even if everyone on the planet had a CFC inhaler and puffed it all at once it would have any impact whatsoever. Nope, after CFC's were banned, Pro-Air arrived to the rescue with a product that was so inferior, it actually made asthma worse. In order to compensate for the reduced force of the newer non-CFC propellant, they had to jack up the concentration, which causes irritation in many asthma patients (myself included). The makers of Ventolin, at least, finally came afterwards with a redesigned canister that is pretty close to the efficacy of the original Albuterol CFC-based inhalers. After not being able to properly breathe for a year, I finally realized Pro-Air was absolute trash and switched to Ventolin HFA. Provential HFA is really not much better than Pro-Air, as both of those manufacturers took the lazy way out using old style actuators. Thanks, money. I've love to see a cross-reference of those politicians that voted on this ban to those that have investments in the makers of Pro-Air. Removal of Primatene is going to make it even harder for people that just simply want to breathe.
So you are suggesting the world wide ban on CFCs was really just a ploy to help one company make money with inhalers?
Couldn't have articulated this any better. Strike up another win for "Health Care Incorporated".
Companies may have taken advantage, but it's not as if that was what drove the ban in the first place.
Thanks...I thought it was just me! I miss my old Albuterol inhaler and, like you, find the Pro-Air very inferior. I understand concerns about our environment, but are asthma treatments really the place we need to cut back vs. a more severe crackdown on corporate environmental contaminants? I'm guessing the asthma inhalers are a tiny drop in the bucket compared to other CFC offenders.
So, how much money would you say they were bribed with? Let's see, worldwide scientists and academics, world leaders, entire nations, religious leaders, businesses themselves, multiplied by 2 decades...how much money was that again? I mean you couldn't have left them all out since literally every single nation, every single one of them signed on and agreed that it is a fact that CFCs destroy the ozone.
Nothing works like epinephrine, nothing. If pace makers depleted the ozone, I'm sure all those implanted people wouldn't mind finding a suitable replacement! It's another case of "if it doesn't affect me, then those people just have to suck it up", but in this case they can't because they can't breathe!
Works both ways. They won't complain about the ozone layer until it's gone and everyone's getting skin cancer instead. Then they're going to be protesting for CFCs and no CFCs. Wait, that doesn't make sense does it? Oh well...
Nonsense. Another excuse to pay more Doctor fee's and support corrupt pharmacies by having to buy meds with a prescription
It is always about money, the healthcare industry has one of the highest markups in the nation. They are stealing from the american people. If you must have health insurance, then all insurance should cover all medical needs aty 100% no questions no waiting. But fasctism win in america every time.
It sucks big time. I can not afford a prescription, as my asthma only flairs up 5 to 10 times a year on average (mostly during weather changes), its not worth it to get a daily pill or inhaler, I don't want to take it daily. I keep one of these in my home for when I need it. Been using one for more than 15 years. I don't know what I'm going to do.
They're confirmed to be rolling out with an affordable OTC replacement for it. That's CFC-free.
Hey, another new product for China to manufacture and sell through Canada and Mexico. Good move guys!
Or......just inhale it and don't exhale :> thus not releasing the bad stuff into the universe.
Oh and I don't mean the same one for 15 years, I ment brand. they don't last that long. In fact they get down right nasty after 2 or so, so its not like I can just buy me 20 of them for later.
I noticed in all of these comments that the people who claim to care more about "mother earth" than they do about the people who need this product do not actually have asthma so it is easy for them to criticize those that do need it. It's easy for people to get on thier hight horse about something when it doesn't directly affect them!
My cousin has asthma and uses a prescription inhaler. You act like this is the only product that works. So how much is Armstrong Pharmaceutical paying you?
Just what the he!! are asthmatics supposed to do now ? Ahhhh, just go to your doc for a prescription but what if you don't have insurance ? That's o.k. too 'cuz you can just pay for it out of your pocket...the doctor visit...the prescription and all will be good.
My prescription inhaler costs well over $100.00... A MONTH ! For many years I had to buy over-the-counter inhalers due to lack of insurance. I've seen them go from having 3 or 4 selections to pick from to down to just the Primatene, which has gone from costing about $8.00 to now almost $18. ! Emergency rooms have been complaining for years that they are filling up with patients who could have easily been seen by a family doctor before their problem became so bad but without ins., ended up in the ER.....get ready for more of that !
I have asthma. The new HFA inhalers, to put it mildly, suck. This is another example of a lack of forethought by a large organization. Ventolin inhalers used to be $10, now they are $40. The amount of CFCs put forth in to the actual air by lung medication inhalers is miniscule and they should have been exempted.
http://www.savecfcinhalers.org/
Wonderful – studies, and my own results prove that it works better and has less side effects than the prescription drug, but people's health doesn't matter. And, more people die from asthma now than ever before – probably because the most effective drug isn't the one being used. Anything the US government does these days is designed to screw people and make more money for companies. Time for a little revolution, I say.
Each and every day the planet earth naturally out gasses 1000's of tons of compounds that are far more destructive to the ozone layer than CFC's. Man made products out gassing toxic compounds adds another few 100 tons each day. I doubt all the inhalers ever made set off at once would make a statistically significant blip. The "dumbing down" effect in full motion, so very sad.
Such as? Oh wait, you are talking about the chlorine that volcanoes and the oceans release right? The chlorine that is quickly washed out of the atmosphere. The stuff that *doesn't* make it into the stratosphere the way that CFCs do. Is that the stuff you are talking about?
Well, you're wrong. Sorry. Want to try again?
Someone clearly needs to take earth science and chemistry.
Fine, then I am gong to spray entire cans of Right Guard into the air every week.
Actually, you can go ahead, CFCs in aerosols were removed decades ago. It's a phased process. The drug companies got a freebie to drag their feet for 2 decades.
Actually though, if you don't want your Right Guard, I'll gladly take it off you!
This is the stupidest thing ever. Really. I have asthma and use the PM inhaler rather than prescription inhalers because I find it works better and, me not having insurance, it's cheaper. So when I spray this inhaler into my closed mouth and inhale it while inside my home – I'm depleting the ozone layer?? This liberal BS is just ridiculous. Next they're gonna be after my light bulbs.... Why don't all these liberal politicians just let me call them Mom and Dad and they can tell me what to do and what's best for me and the world because obviously not only WE can't live without them, but apparently our planet can't exist without their guardianship either. Absolutely ridiculous.
Stock up while you can. I'm going to buy a bunch and then charge double when there is no more. Easy money.
You won't be able to get it anymore because all production of CFCs are stopping. Sorry pal.
Makes me think of those stupid totally lying commercials on how second hand cigarette smoke can come up through the floorboards of your apartment and nail your kid coloring in his book on the pristine, upper middle class white carpet.
If I were in a building where that could happen I would be a hell of a lot more worried about it being crack smoke! Gosh, everyone! Throw those inhalers out, they might cause extinction of all life on the planet!
Ask your doctor to introduce alternative inhalers for you because eventually, you will need to stop relying on CFC-based products. All UN members nations signed on to the Montreal Protocol which banned all CFCs worldwide in a gradual phasing-out process, and we along with China have dragged our feet on the process already. We can't drop out of a worldwide agreement we signed onto, and are obligated to follow through on, especially when the rest of the world has already done it willingly. What's makes us more "special" over the rest of the world? What makes our asthmatics more special than those in other countries? They did it, and they don't have asthmatics dying in droves. It all boils down to unwillingness to pay for a higher price tag.
Sorry, but did you forget that you exhale? Or do you just hold your breath forever?
Actually Burbank, a statement can be an understatement, factual statement, or overstatement. What you heard was probably an overstatement. The CFC issue (it's not a debate, it's been proven true for decades) is a factual statement. In addition, there's all types of statements from people everywhere and anywhere that are the same. You wouldn't say all basketball players overstate everything because one of them did would you? No, there are all types.
ScottinSC--They are already after our lightbulbs. Last I heard the ban was still going to happen in 2012 on the current cheap-o bulbs, we'll have to buy the $10 mercury filled varriaty. Or those $25 LED ones.
Oh, I know! That was part of the sarcasm. My light bulbs aren't good enough, my food isn't good enough, my medicine isn't good enough, my car isn't good enough – geez! Wait a minute, though – what kind of light bulbs do THEY have in their houses? What kind of car do THEY drive? What kind of aerosols or inhalers do THEY use? Where's the hard-hitting investigative journalism that we used to know? Disappeared in the blogosphere and the world of the partisan, ideological-driven media.
Aerosols already had their CFCs replaced. The light bulbs I don't understand, as you can't indirectly harm someone else by using one. CFCs can, because they destroy the ozone layer, and around 6 billion people use it to prevent skin diseases such as melanoma. And no, sunscreen is made for normal ozone conditions, not when there's a tear, no matter how small. The risk increases exponentially. When you're spraying CFCs into the air, you're directly raising the risk, and potentially harming someone else. I haven't heard a single reasonable excuse why only the propellant should be replaced, since that's all that's occurring.
Hey fellow asthmatics! Just get inhalers on the internet from other countries. I don't have health insurance and that' s what I do.
I think banning them is ridiculous. A small percentage of people that need a few puffs a day on these things isn't gonig to hurt anything, especially now that all the other sources of pollution from this have been banned.
I'm very big on saving the environment, but this is one of those situations where common sense has gone out the window. – Or perhaps the hole in the Ozone layer...
They're not banned, FYI. Only the CFCs in them are, which are getting replaced. Please don't act like you'll never see another OTC inhaler again, cause they're already working on a replacement. And if it makes you rest more easily, stock up on some, they're still sold everywhere until next year. And it's not a small amount, 10% of children are asthmatics and it's increasing. Think again.
We supposedly want to reduce the costs of medical care in this country, yet we do things like this. Now, if you have asthma, you can't just go to Wal-Mart or whatever and pick up a product, you need to schedule an appointment with a doctor, make sure he accepts your insurance, have him run tests on you, and then get an expensive prescription filled every month. In other countries, if you have a cold, you can go to the pharmacy and the pharmacist will give you codeine cough syrup if you are old enough and there's no need to go see a doctor so he can tell you what you already know. Allow people to take care of themselves when it's something minor. We're not talking about self-administered chemotherapy here. Getting doctors involved in such minor issues has got to be a major burden on health care costs.
This is only a good idea if you do not have asthma.
The HFC inhalers take longer to work, taste like s***, hold 1/2 normal amount, AND cost 3 times as much as the old ones.
No problem, the 'Environmentalists' these days are all about self-denial, self-abnegation and killing poor people. It's their Bliss!
Nice job exaggerating and promoting hysteria. The rate and effectiveness of the inhaler works at depends on the medicine itself, not the propellant. Paint jobs haven't gotten worse after the CFCs were replaced. Nor has the accuracy or power of the spray. The bottom line of the complaints is the price tag.
how do the CFCs get into the atmosphere if the person is inhaling them while getting the meds?
They have to exhale, and CFCs last over a hundred years.
For each inhaler, there's 100 buses in China spewing out carbon monoxide and polluting the air.
So what are people without insurance and prescription coverage supposed to do?
Thank you Jay, I skimmed the response here to see if something asked this already. Prescription medication is flat out expensive even with insurance. Your essentially screwed without it.
Two predictions: People will die. Tree huggers won't care.
Oh yes, 'Environmentalists' think there are too many folks anyway, so I suspect they're just fine with a few (or lots of) casualties...provided it's not they or their crowd that suffers, since they're also insufferable self-centered hypocrites.
Regardless, people need to take responsibility for their own health. If you or someone you know has asthma (like my cousin) you should keep track of these things, such as news and treatments, if you really cared about them. My cousin uses a prescription inhaler and he's had no problems. If you think it takes CFCs to make someone healthier, I question whether or not that's a valid fact.
Where did you get those lines off of? Fox News talking points? Or did you all forget Republicans were the ones that signed the Montreal Protocol? Nice overblown hysteria to panic people. They are rolling out with an affordable OTC replacement, and many nations have already implemented; they don't have asthmatics dying en masse. More facts, less rhetoric please.
Lovely, take away medicine, and kill a few people, all for a stupid 'feel good' cause, since the CO2 in all these inhalers amount to total insignificance....more evidence not only of the profound stupidity of the 'Environmental' movement today, but also it's hypocrisy and moral bankruptcy.
Sorry, what does carbon dioxide have to do with this again? I could've sworn that the article was about CFCs, which were phased out by the Montreal Protocol, which pretty much every nation collectively agreed on.
@CW
I think he (or she) is trying to point out that many of the causes for Asthma can be direclty linked to the amout of greehosue gasses that are emiited and we should focus our effeorts to continue the reductions of these gasses. I have no scientific evidence to suuport this theroy; however, I had Asthma as a child and my son does as well. I have posted earlier about this, but when I take my son away from the large city we live in (in California) and go visit my brother in the Sierra Nevada, his symptoms become much less severe. Just my two cents worth 🙂
Another example of disproportionate influence of the Jewish dominated liberal press.
I can buy cig's that will take away my ability to breathe....but wont be able to buy a product to help me continuing to breathe. Government logic at its finest 🙁
Welcome to the new America folks. No exceptions, the planet takes precedence over the lives of individuals. It doesn't matter that the CFC's dispersed by Primatene are minimal at best, and it doesn't matter that you might need it in a critical life-saving situation. The agenda for the planet cannot be stopped because it is the new religion and that god must be appeased.
Only the wealthy or fortunate who have GOOD health insurance will be able to cover the new high costs of their asthma treatments. Wealthy people 1) buy private expensive health insurance ($2,500/year after employer payments)
2) go see a doctor, pay the co-payment ($25-35)
3) got to CVS and buy the new medicine and pay a co-payment ($25)
4) repeat process endlessly until you lose healthcare coverage or your doctor stops accepting your insurance.
Poor people 1)have and asthma attack and die on the sidewalk while people watch and scream.
And this government is helping us?
it's hard to find now, i have to buy it online. the alternative is albuteral, but you need a prescription and it's not as effective. you can purchase albuteral over the counter in mexico and france.
this is a blow for me i do not like pro air i feel it does nothing for me and its also 60 dollars compared to 18 but i mostly use primatene because it works the cfc inhalers worked and also cost reasonable compared to hfa i know im gonna stock up im all for helping the environment but this seems like a silly place to start i KNOW thier are worse things than inhalers to our environment
The CFCs are used to propel the medicine into your lungs. You don't "feel" better compared to a prescription inhaler. Unless of course you mean feeling good as in saving money for yourself at the expense of the world. Otherwise, it's just the placebo effect.
@CW do you have asthma im just wondering because if you dont you couldnt possibly know what the hell your talking about are you just someone who hears something amd automatically believes it i promise you its not placebo effect I DO NOT GET RELIEF FOR MY ASTHMA FROM PRO AIR HFA I DO HOWEVER GET IT FROM PRIMATENE MIST there is a difference but untill you wake up gasping for breath you really wouldnt know that would you?
Can somebody explain why they can't just use something like nitrogen gas? If it's just the mechanical effect of a pressurized gas escaping, why does it have to be anything fancy?
I wonder the same. But I'm sure there's a good reason.
Because CFCs are extremely cheap to produce, like the banned chemicals of old. Don't see anyone asking to bring DDT back.
2 lungs full of nitrogen gas will kill you instantly.
agreed, the environment is important to think about. . . however, how can a nation urge people to get a prescription for inhalers when some people in this country do not have health care, nor does the country provide it.
That's why the government needs to do its job and make it more affordable!
The perscription stuff doen't work on me...what am I suppose to do...Just die?
First of all, if you don't have asthma STFU. How damned much damage do PM users cause the F'ing ozone? Damned little.
PM is the fastest working rescue inhaler there is, period. When you are gasping for breath it matters not one damned bit whether you get skin cancer in 30 years from Ozone loss, not if you suffocate to death in the immediate five minutes.
Another thing you non-asthmatic geniuses don't seem to realize is that a maintenance inhaler is NOT a rescue inhaler: maximum effectiveness is a matter of days or weeks of regular dosing, which is small comfort when your breathing is shutting down. Some of us have EXTREME reactions to ammonia, cleaning supplies, some perfumes and other odors despite taking maintenance drugs. This is where a rescue inhaler is vital.
(And forget those little disclaimers the pharm companies put out, that their maintenance products can actually CAUSE asthmatic fatalities)
This is a dangerous rip-off of those who don't have insurance, or have inadequate insurance with high co-pays for prescriptions and doctor visits. Has anyone looked up a generic prescription rescue inhaler?
These SOB politicians are pricing the ability to breathe right out of the hands of the uninsured and the working poor.
You know, that's exactly what they said about another chemical. Can you say DDT? Let's bring that back, I'm sure it will make food cheaper!
If you don’t have asthma you have no business commenting on this at all.
If you have never woke up at 4 am with an attack, no inhaler, and no health insurance SHUT UP. It’s like men commenting on the pain of child birth….SHUT UP!
There are more CFC’s in one US government air conditioner than all the Primatene Mists in the world. This is political correctness and the warming crowd gone way off the reservation.
If you think you’re right on this one stuff a sock down your throat and try to breath for 5 minutes and then comment again.
Damn the US for taking these off the shelves with no replacement for folks with no insurance, and no relief. Because when you have an attack, you need it now.
Fight back, call congress.
Oh great. Now the government (FDA in this case) will litteraly be killing US citizens.