CFC-based inhalers to be phased out by 2012

“At present,of these 28 lakh MDIs,as many as 21,35,693 are CFC free. Instead of CFC,hydrofluoroalkanes (HFA) is used in MDIs which does not harm the ozone layer,” said Ramakrishna.

He was speaking at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)-supported regional awareness workshop under the CFC MDI phase out transition strategy implementation and adoption of CFC free alternatives in India held in the city in association with National Institute of Virology.

He said the remaining three per cent CFC MDIs have to be converted into non-CFC MDIs. “We have the deadline of December 2012. We are in the process of bringing in regulatory intervention for banning CFC MDIs in the country,” he said.

R S Agarwal,advisor,Ozone Cell,Ministry of Environment said the MDI production has been growing at the rate of 15 per cent per annum. “There is a need to convince the producers to manufacture non-CFC MDIs. The response so far has been good. In 2007,only 44 per cent MDIs were CFC free. The number has gone up to 70 per cent in May 2010,” he said.

The only issue involved in this sector is the price of HFA MDIs,which are 20 per cent costlier than CFC MDIs. “However,over a period of time the cost of CFC has increased and that of HFA has declined. With increased use of HFA,the market dynamics will also support the CFC-free alternatives,” said Ramkrishna.

Seema Vyas,commissioner,food and drug administration,A Mishra,director,NIV,Pune,were also present at the workshop.