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Wyeth estimates 3 million Americans use Primatene Mist for mild or intermittent cases of asthma, Sullivan said. About two-thirds also use a prescription inhaler but rely on Primatene as a backup. Another 700,000 use the inhalers because they don't have a prescription or lack health insurance, he said.
The company is the biggest maker of epinephrine inhalers, with $43 million in sales last year. The drug opens air passages to the lungs to relieve wheezing, shortness of breath and troubled breathing.
CFCs were long used as aerosol propellants in a variety of products but are being phased out because they harm the Earth's protective ozone layer.
On Tuesday, Wyeth asked that the FDA stay any such ban on Primatene Mist until it is ready to market an approved CFC-free version, said its representative, Dr. Sumon Wason. Wyeth hopes to have such an inhaler ready for sale in 2009 or 2010, Wason said.
"I'd like to see it go away, personally, because I'd like to see people get proper treatment and I think people who are using Primatene are not," said Dr. Kathleen Sheerin, an Atlanta allergist.
Yesterday's vote was only to consider whether Primatene Mist and similar inhalers can be considered an "essential" use of ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons. That's a requirement if they are to be legally distributed.
"It provides an important public health benefit, there's no other OTC alternative to CFC epinephrine inhalers, and the environmental risk from the release of CFCs from Primatene is small and justified given the benefit it provides," Sullivan said.
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Wyeth estimates 3 million Americans use Primatene Mist for mild or intermittent cases of asthma, Sullivan said. About two-thirds also use a prescription inhaler but rely on Primatene as a backup. Another 700,000 use the inhalers because they don't have a prescription or lack health insurance, he said.
The company is the biggest maker of epinephrine inhalers, with $43 million in sales last year. The drug opens air passages to the lungs to relieve wheezing, shortness of breath and troubled breathing.
CFCs were long used as aerosol propellants in a variety of products but are being phased out because they harm the Earth's protective ozone layer.
On Tuesday, Wyeth asked that the FDA stay any such ban on Primatene Mist until it is ready to market an approved CFC-free version, said its representative, Dr. Sumon Wason. Wyeth hopes to have such an inhaler ready for sale in 2009 or 2010, Wason said.
"I'd like to see it go away, personally, because I'd like to see people get proper treatment and I think people who are using Primatene are not," said Dr. Kathleen Sheerin, an Atlanta allergist.
Yesterday's vote was only to consider whether Primatene Mist and similar inhalers can be considered an "essential" use of ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons. That's a requirement if they are to be legally distributed.
"It provides an important public health benefit, there's no other OTC alternative to CFC epinephrine inhalers, and the environmental risk from the release of CFCs from Primatene is small and justified given the benefit it provides," Sullivan said.
Introducing Dispatch Extra — seven great new benefits for subscribers. Did you know? If you subscribe to The Columbus Dispatch, Dispatch Extra is yours for free. For full details, click here .
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