The speed at which information and misinformation from the Web continues to amaze me. 2 days ago, an elderly patient asked me what new medication will I be prescribing for her, since she had just read that the FDA was banning her current inhaler - Combivent mdi.
The FDA did indeed issue a Consumer Update on 4/13/10. There is a lot of confusion, that actually the article can help sort out. It helped me. I will summarize the article. All of the following 7 metered dose inhalers use CFC as a propellant. The first 4 are not being manufactured any more. By the end of this year, it will be illegal to sell them. The next 3 (#5-7) are to have manufacturing stopped in the future. The date that each medication can be sold is listed in parenthesis.
1. Tilade (6/14/10)
2. Alupent (6/14/10)
3. Azmacort (12/31/10)
4. Intal (12/31/10)
5. Aerobid (6/30/11)
6. Combivent (12/31/13)
7. Maxiair Autohaler (12/31/13)
The latter 2 are still actively prescribed. Don't worry about the supply for now.
Your Allergy Dude
Showing posts with label Discontinued inhalers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Discontinued inhalers. Show all posts
Sunday, April 18, 2010
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