CALL TO ACTION Ask your Congressional Representatives to Sign Letter Re: Ozone Safe Inhalers

Ask your Congressional Representatives* to Sign on to the Dear Colleague letter to Secretary Leavitt regarding the Transition to Ozone Safe Albuterol Inhalers.

Help make millions of patients aware they must switch from CFC propelled albuterol inhalers to non-CFC alternatives by December 31, 2008. This transition represents good news/bad news.

• The good news is that the switch is beneficial for the environment because it will discontinue use of polluting propellants that contribute to global warming.
• The bad news is that the federal mandate to switch to ozone safe products creates a financial burden for the families and patients who must purchase replacement inhalers.

Representatives Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Cliff Stearns (R-FL) have been circulating a Dear Colleague letter to other congressional representatives that will be sent to
Health and Human Services Secretary Leavitt asking him to help by:

• Launching a nationwide awareness-raising and educational campaign about the transition

• Creating a process to monitor patients

• Placing the new inhalers at the lowest co-pay tier for Medicare patients to ensure they can make the transition without having to skimp on life saving medication.

You can help by contacting your Representatives* and asking them to sign on to the letter too! * Senate or Congress Act today - vote is scheduled soon!

Find your representative and then pick up the phone and give them a call. Ask to speak with their Health Legislative Assistant. Identify yourself by name and address and let them know that you are calling on behalf of BREATHE LA supporters and loved ones suffering with respiratory illnesses in Los Angeles. Ask your Representative to sign on to the Dear Colleague letter to Secretary Leavitt by contacting Representative Nita Lowey's office at 202-225-6506 or Representative Stearns' office at 202-225-5744 by this Friday, June 13, 2008.

If you must leave a message, simply relay the same information in the message, being sure to include your contact information for verification. If you prefer to email, be sure to provide your full name and contact info in the body of the email.

After you have made contact with your representative, BREATHE LA would like to know how you felt about it. Take a moment to contact us to share with us any information you have that may be helpful as we work to ensure this critical message reaches our legislative leaders and our community. 323-935-8050x 256

Your support makes a difference! Thank you.

Learn more about the effect of inhalers on the ozone level.