Small Inhaler Change Causes Major Ripples in the Environment
It has taken a bit of time, but finally the many thousands of people using propelled inhalers have finally, and reluctantly made the switch from CFC- propelled inhalers to HFA-propelled inhalers.
The change officially took place December 31 of last year. The change was primarily for environmental reasons. The older CFC inhalers use chlorofluorocarbon which has been shown to be one of the culprits in depleting the ozone in the atmosphere. What happens is that when these inhalers are used, when the person exhales, he exhales the CFC also. When the CFC hits the atmosphere, ultraviolet light breaks them down. This is what causes the ozone to be depleted.
This country is one of the last of the major industrialized nations to apply the change. Nations such as Canada, Europe, and Japan had all previously made the change.
Americans use drugs every year for symptoms as varied as dog allergy, pollen allergy symptoms, and sulfa allergy symptoms. Even though stores stopped selling the older inhalers at the end of 2008, many patients undoubtedly are still using some of the older ones that they purchased prior to this year.
HFA, or hydrofluoroalkane, is an environmentally friendly propellant that, according to the FDA, is much more environmentally friendly.
Since the changeover, users of the new HFA are primarily experiencing two differences.The biggest change is that the newer model inhalers have a tendency to become frequently clogged whereas with the original inhalers, this was not a problem. Secondly, from the standpoint of a patient, the taste is somewhat different.
Even though the amount of the propellant is small in each individual inhaler, since millions of people used the inhalers each year, the change is expected to significantly decrease the amount of harm done to the environment.
Disclaimer: The information on this website is intended for educational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for personal care by a licensed physician. Always see your physician for diagnosis and treatment of any concerning symptoms or medical condition.