India gets 3 years to take CFCs out of inhalers

Amid the drama in Copenhagen,India has managed to get a three-year extension from the UNDP for phasing out Chloroflurocarbons (CFC) in inhalers used by asthmatics. CFCs are considered one of the major reasons behind the depleting ozone layer. The Montreal Protocol of 1987,to which India is one of the signatories,had made it mandatory to phase …

Amid the drama in Copenhagen,India has managed to get a three-year extension from the UNDP for phasing out Chloroflurocarbons (CFC) in inhalers used by asthmatics. CFCs are considered one of the major reasons behind the depleting ozone layer.

The Montreal Protocol of 1987,to which India is one of the signatories,had made it mandatory to phase out CFCs by January 2010. Though the pollutant was gradually removed from refrigerators and air conditioners,the transition has not been as easy in inhalers.

India recently requested the UNDP,the lead implementing agency,for an extension. India has now got till 2012 to phase out CFCs from inhalers. There are various factors involved,the cost factor being the primary one. This is why we asked for an extension for phasing it out, said Drug Controller General of India Dr Surinder Singh. India has about 20 million asthmatics.

Once the CFCs are phased out,all asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease inhalers in India will use either dry powder or a new hydrofluoroalkane propellant. The DGCI said workshops will be held to urge patients and health professionals to adopt the environment friendly inhalers.

Amar Lulla,CEO of Cipla,the largest producer of inhalers,said producers will have to incur more costs to manufacture CFC-free inhalers. It is three times more expensive. A special filling equipment is required and even the formulations are different. We have done this transition in quite a few products. Most certainly this will be done in inhalers too in the next three years, he said.