Let Us Breathe, Fda

Asthma inhalers save lives, allowing millions to breathe polluted air without choking. Environmental alarmists find this confusing, because inhalers also contain chlorofluorocarbons. CFCs might contribute to a suspected thinning of the ozone layer.

But CFCs from asthma inhalers contribute only 1 percent of CFC emissions. Even if CFCs do thin the ozone layer, and that’s disputed, the emissions that save asthmatics’ lives are insignificant.

The Food and Drug Administration wants CFC inhalers banned, now that one manufacturer has a CFC-free inhaler. But some patients report it doesn’t work as well. And asthma inhalers are outrageously expensive (up to $50 apiece), using the old technology. How deeply will drug makers gouge sick people for the new product? Congress is considering - and ought to pass - a bill to keep CFC inhalers on the market until there’s a full array of non-CFC inhalers that are equally effective and comparably priced.

, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = John Webster/For the editorial board