Inhalers phased out

The old "brown" inhaler that 75,000 New Zealanders use every day and have relied on for almost 30 years to prevent asthma symptoms is on the way out.

GlaxoSmithKline is phasing out its Becotide and Becloforte inhalers, available here since 1973, to comply with the Montreal protocol on the reduction of CFCs.

The company's medical director, Ian Griffiths, said asthmatics could switch to the company's CFC-free Flixotide inhaler, also fully funded by the drug buying agency, Pharmac.