Under Pressure: Finding a More Sustainable Future for pMDIs

Pressurized metered dose inhalers are often the first line of treatment for patients with asthma and COPD. However, there is an increasing need and concern to develop more sustainable treatment options. As such, the technology inside a pMDI, its propellant and the associated costs have all become foremost in many of today’s discussion forums.

This article reviews some of the broader topics in bringing low Global Warming Potential (GWP) inhalers to market, the need to quickly solve many technology problems, the changing regulatory environment, and of course, the need to maintain patient compliance to their existing treatment regimen. It is very important to provide patients with device continuity to maintain their overall health so the focus is now on developing pMDIs using propellants with low GWP propellants and /or switching patients to Dry Powder inhalers (DPIs).

Despite some healthcare professionals (HCPs) being encouraged to switch patients to DPIs, many resist because the act that switching does not take into account the realities of human behaviors and therefore does not fit into a holistic healthcare strategy for controlling the serious risks associated with these respiratory conditions. Aside from the health risk involved, this places an unnecessary burden on the health system while also carrying an additional carbon cost.