Petition reference Albuterol

[maryaz]

This post would apply only to US citizens. Below is part of what I found on the CI forum. If you want to participate, sign up. I thought I should at least post it.

There is a website that someone set up that explains why the new inhalers are different and a lot of people wrote in and complained about it on there also!

www.topix.net/forum/med/TMMAKO13VNMKEGFOC

There's a petition being signed [primarily by asthma patients] to bring back the old Albuterol inhalers. They are up in arms over this switch! Take a look at the petition [and comments]. If you want to, join them, or at least call the FDA.

www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/300594068?ltl=1175363160#top

[larrynz]

We have already been there, we found the new ones less effective and prone to blocking, the old ones were made available again at slightly higher price. The new ones were so unreliable they been withdrawn. That is where we stand right now, I have no doubt there will be a mark2.

[Blossom/Jackie W.]

Mary; although this forum flies a Canadian flag, it is international. Half the members are American and a New Zealander ; so of course you should post it. I'm glad you did.

Canada, like New Zealand, moved ahead quite some time ago and changed the inhaler. I don't use Ventolin enough to say yay or nay re: effectiveness. However; I do have a brother with severe asthma and he uses ventolin multiple times during the course of a day. I'll ask him what he's found.

[LindaNY]

I hope they give us a choice if they do revert back to the old ones. I can't use them.

The chlorofluorocarbon in the old made me cough so much, I couldn't keep it in.

[Blossom/Jackie W.]

I don't think Canada has reverted back; even at a higher price and something tells me they won't. Never say never though

[larrynz]

www.nzma.org.nz/journal/119-1244/2276/

Abstract
Aims To assess asthma stability in adults converted from Ventolin® to Salamol®.
Methods Thirty-six general practice adults with documented asthma and using Ventolin at least weekly in the previous 12 months, changed their Ventolin for Salamol for a period of 4 weeks. The validated Asthma Control Questionnaire was applied at the beginning and end of the study period.
Results Of the 36 adults, 6/36 (17%; 95%CI 4–29%) prematurely withdrew mainly due to Salamol ineffectiveness. A further 15/36 (42%; 95%CI 25–58%) could not maintain Salamol alone and returned to Ventolin at some time during the study period with 10/15 (67%; 95% CI 42–91%) citing Salamol ineffectiveness. Of the remaining 15/36 who maintained the study design, nearly all had worse asthma stability 14/15 (93%; 95%CI 80–100%).
Conclusions Asthma stability was significantly worse with Salamol compared to Ventolin. Psychological features related to changing inhalers, different physical aspects of Salamol inhalers, and pharmacological ineffectiveness are possible explanations.

It is a long article, so use the link if you want the full story, bottom line it was a disaster.