CFCs damage the Earth's protective ozone layer, which shields the planet from harmful ultraviolet radiation. The federal agency is urging patients not to wait until the last minute to switch to newer alternatives as the new ones available by December end will be powered by ozone-friendly HFAs, or hydrofluoroalkanes.
The FDA issued an advisory Friday saying anyone still using CFC inhalers should ask their doctor about switching now.
Patients use inhalers to dispense airway-relaxing albuterol during asthma attacks. They're convenient, portable and allow many to lead a normal life. But chemicals in the old-fashion albuterol inhalers damage the earth's ozone layer.
The FDA said the new one's called HFA inhalers don't taste or feel the same and are used differently. Some makers of the CFC inhalers may stop producing them even before the deadline.
The new ozone-friendly inhalers would be manufactured by drug companies like GlaxoSmithKline's Ventolin HFA. Other options include Schering Plough's Proventil HFA and Teva Specialty Pharmaceuticals' ProAir HFA.
