Jyothi Tirumalasetty on Asthma Inhalers and Climate Change

Jyothi Tirumalasetty, MD, a Stanford Medicine allergist, immunologist, and researcher, joins The Future of Medicine to explain an overlooked source of health care emissions: the propellants used in many common asthma inhalers.In this episode, Dr. Tirumalasetty explains how metered-dose inhalers, including many commonly prescribed albuterol inhalers, use hydrofluorocarbon propellants to deliver medication into the lungs. Most of the propellant ultimately enters the atmosphere, where it acts as a potent greenhouse gas. Depending on the inhaler, she says, the emissions from a single albuterol inhaler can be comparable to driving dozens of miles in a gas-powered car.The conversation explores why reducing those emissions is more complicated than simply switching medications. Some patients need metered-dose inhalers, alternative devices may be more expensive or difficult to access, and treatment decisions must account for asthma control, cost, patient preference, and safety. Dr. Tirumalasetty emphasizes that patients should not stop using an inhaler because of its environmental impact without first talking with their physician.Dr. Tirumalasetty and host Errol Ozdalga, MD, also discuss lower-emission inhalers, medication costs and access, and how health care can reduce emissions while keeping patient care first.The episode closes with Dr. Tirumalasetty reflecting on her own unconventional career path – from nearly two decades of predominantly clinical work to a growing research program focused on inhalers, health care sustainability, and patient care — and why physicians can pursue new research questions at any stage of their careers.Thank you for listening!Call to action: If you enjoy The Future of Medicine, subscribe for more conversations with leading scientists shaping the next era of healthcare. Please rate and review the podcast to help others discover these important discussions. Share with friends and colleagues who are curious about how science becomes medicine.