Asthma: Drugs

Mark Hunter
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made by each primary care trust in the provision of inhalers which do not contain chlorofluorocarbons.

Ann Keen
This information is not held centrally. However the vast majority of inhalers containing chlorofluorocarbons have now been phased out and those remaining are expected to be discontinued during 2010.

Mark Hunter
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has made to encourage general practitioners to implement the 2008 National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance on inhaled corticosteroids for the treatment of chronic asthma.

Ann Keen
The Department is currently preparing good practice guidelines for children and adults with asthma, for use by general practitioners and other health care professionals, that will make reference to existing National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance on the management and treatment of asthma.