The Food and Drug Administration says that metred-dose inhalers using chlorofluorocarbon propellants to dispense the asthma drug, albuterol, will not be produced, marketed or sold in the US from 2009.
The agency said that there would be sufficient supplies of two approved, environmentally friendly albuterol inhalers from the end of December 2008 to allow the phasing out of similar less environmentally friendly versions. CFC-based MDIs for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were previously exempted from a general ban of CFC production and importation.
The FDA added that the manufacturers of three environmentally friendly albuterol inhalers were implementing programmers to help patient assure.
