THE BRIEFING
ECO-FRIENDLY HEALTHCARE
According to data from the World Health Organisation( WHO), asthma affects an estimated 363 million people worldwide and while inhaler access is limited due to cost in some countries, millions use inhalers as a way of relieving asthma and symptoms associated with lung conditions.
Some inhalers have a larger carbon footprint than others, with metered dose inhalers and breath-actuated inhalers both containing propellant gas canisters to deliver medication to the user. These canisters contain hydrofluorocarbons – potent greenhouse gases that, in the long term, can trap heat in the atmosphere and contribute to climate change.
To combat this, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has approved the world’ s first lower-carbon pressurised asthma inhaler, a move that both preserves the effectiveness of the product while also reducing its environmental impact.
363 million the World Health Organisation estimates more than 363 million people worldwide suffer from asthma, with millions needing access to inhalers
20 August 2026