Health of "millions" threatened by HFC curbs, claims GlaxoWellcome

Pharmaceuticals giant GlaxoWellcome has claimed that controls on HFCs under the Kyoto Protocol on climate change could affect the health of "millions" of patients with respiratory illnesses who use metered dose inhalers (MDIs). Its £2 billion per year inhalers business is built largely around MDIs. But Swedish officials maintain that many patients could use alternative dry powder inhalers (DPIs) which do not contain HFCs.