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Last two CFC inhalers off the market by end of year

Only two inhalers in the United States are left that contain ozone-damaging chlorofluorocarbons, but they will be off the market by the end of this year, according to a press release.

Ipratropium bromide and albuterol sulfate (Combivent Inhalation Aerosol, Boehringer Ingelheim) will not be available after July. It is a bronchodilator intended to open airways, approved for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Pirbuterol acetate (Maxair Autohaler, Medicis Pharmaceuticals Corp.) will not be available after Dec. 31. This also is a bronchodilator intended for the treatment of bronchial spasms in those with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) damage the ozone, and the United States and most other countries signed an agreement in the 1980s called the Montreal Protocol to phase out the worldwide production of CFCs. The United States has already removed CFCs from products such as hairsprays, deodorants and conditioners.

Anyone using these medications is urged to speak with their health care providers about an alternative.