Effective December 31, 2008, Albuterol inhalers using chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) propellants will no longer be available. They have been banned as part of the Clean Air Act and Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. The supply has already tightened and the CFC inhalers’ days are numbered. Please note that no CFC-propelled inhalers may be produced, marketed or sold after December 31, 2008.
Many clinics offering pharmaceutical dispensing to their patients are looking for effective alternatives. The FDA has released a list of approved alternatives that use hydrofluoroalkane (HFA) propellant. Please note that Albuterol is still available; it is simply the chemicals used to spray the medication into the lungs that is in question.
You can get detailed information on alternatives at this link. We have seen many of our clinics purchasing Ventolin as a replacement. Although we haven’t had a lot of direct feedback yet, this seems to be the most cost-effective alternative. You can call PCA Pharmaceuticals at 800.722.0772 to get pricing.
If you want some hardcore clinical data, I found a study that compares HFA Ventolin with CFC Ventolin. The short version: the study concludes that the two are “clinically comparable.”
For more information, go to http://www.fda.gov/Cder/mdi/albuterol.htm
