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"We created this video to help patients and their families learn moreabout this federal mandate, as a significant number of patients are still notaware of how to safely go about making this change," said Nancy Sander,president and founder of AANMA. "At the end of the year, inhalers arechanging. These changes are mandatory, and there are important decisions tomake about treatment options that require thoughtful consideration of thepatient's medical history and current respiratory health status."
In less than 30 days, life-saving albuterol inhalers used by nearly 40million patients with respiratory disorders will no longer be sold. AfterDecember 31, 2008, it will no longer be permissible to manufacture or sellalbuterol inhalers in the United States that contain chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)propellants, because they destroy the Earth's ozone layer. These inhalers havebeen replaced with four distinct non-CFC propelled alternatives, which containhydrofluoroalkane (HFA) propellant.
While the transition has been forthcoming for some time, data from IMSHealth show that an estimated 14 million CFC prescriptions have yet to betransitioned to HFA MDIs.(1) The absence of a medically responsible transitionprotocol leaves patients unknowingly exposed to health risks beyond theircontrol.
Patients with asthma, COPD and other respiratory conditions use albuterolat the first sign of symptoms, before exercise and when experiencing breathingexacerbations. Because there are significant differences between CFC and HFAinhalers, patients and medical professionals need to have the opportunity tomake the switch in a medically responsible way.
The Web module is hosted by former CNN Medical correspondent Rea Blakey,and supported by an educational grant from Sepracor.
For more information about the MDI transition, please visit AANMA's MDITransition Web page at www.mditransition.org. Patients seeking informationcan also call AANMA's Patient Support Center at 800-315-8056.
About AANMA
Founded in 1985, Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics is theleading national nonprofit family organization dedicated to eliminatingsuffering and death due to asthma, allergies and related conditions. AANMA'score areas of expertise are education, advocacy and outreach. Call800.878.4403 or visit www.breatherville.org.
(1) IMS NPA, August 22, 2008
SOURCE Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics
