ASHP suggests early removal of CFC-containing MDIs

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists suggests that six of the seven asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease drugs flagged by FDA as no longer essential, and thus no longer exempt from regulations banning the use of chlorofluorocarbons, should be removed from the market by Dec. 31, 2008, instead of 2009 as proposed. FDA issued the proposed rule to remove the essential-use designation from seven drugs used in metered-dose inhalers that the agency has tentatively determined have therapeutically equivalent non-ozone-depleting alternatives (1"The Pink Sheet" June 11, 2007, p. 23). ASHP's sole exception is Maxiar Autohaler (pirbuterol), for which it recommends a removal date later than 2009. Other drugs in the proposed rule are those containing flunisolide, triamcinolone, metaproterenol, perbuterol, cromolyn, nedocromil and albuterol and ipratropium in combination. Comment on the rule has been extended to September 10, 2007...