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Asthma Inhalers Going Green, Eliminating CFCs

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Aug 19, 2008 6:51 pm US/Eastern

Asthma Inhalers Going Green, Eliminating CFCs

NEW YORK (CBS) ― Fifty-two million prescriptions are written every year in the U.S. for a popular asthma inhaler.

Now, the inhalers are being phased out to protect the environment.

"If it'll help the environment, it will help me," Rochelle Doctor said.

Asthma inhalers are going green. The old-fashioned canisters that contain environment-harming chemicals are on their way out.

"There will be a discontinuation of the current propellant, CFC, that's in bronchodilator rescue inhalers.

CFC's are currently found in inhalers that contain the drug albuterol. They help push the medication out of the canister, but they harm the ozone layer, and will be phased out in favor of an environmentally friendly chemical called HFA.

"Many patients have already made the switch to the HFA propellant, and in many cases, they may not even realize they made the switch because the medication remains the same and works the same.

The switch to HFA inhalers has been in the works for several years, but the government now says it should be completed within the next six months.

The new inhalers aren't as forceful, and they may have a different taste.

Asthma patient Rochelle has already made the switch.

"It's just a slightly different taste," Rochelle said. "It doesn't linger very long in your mouth, it's not a bad taste – it's just a medicine-y taste."

Albuterol is used for immediate relief of asthma symptoms, especially in cold weather, during exercise, or after being exposed to allergens.

"If I am going to be participating in a sport where I'm going to be running a lot or biking a lot, then I will just take a quick puff right before," Rochelle said.

For this patient, the switch is a small price to pay for a healthy planet.

Patients will need to clean the new HFA canisters on a regular basis to prevent buildup of the medication in the inhaler's nozzle.

Detailed cleaning and drying instructions are included in every box.

Some drugstores have already stopped carrying the old form of the inhaler.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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