Air purifiers for pets and their owners? What’s the deal?
A commercial air filter, commonly called a “air purifier,” is one of many products marketed to pet owners that purify the air of harmful particles such as dust and pollen and can help prevent breathing problems.
However, in recent years, many experts have questioned the efficacy of the products and whether their effectiveness is really as effective as the companies claims.
The air purifiers are used to kill the harmful particles in pet food.
The products, however, do not remove allergens and some studies have shown they do not help to reduce the risk of allergic reactions.
The Environmental Working Group says that since the 1990s, many pet owners have reported that their pets are suffering from respiratory issues, asthma attacks, allergies and more after using commercial air filters.
In a survey of more than 800 pet owners, the EWG found that only about half said they had used commercial air filtration.
The EWG also found that about half of pet owners say they had purchased their filters because of the claims that they purify their pets’ air.
Many pet owners also report that the filters are ineffective at eliminating allergens, which the companies have blamed on a combination of a low level of dust, pollen and mold.
The American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology and the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine have all called for the FDA to investigate the effectiveness of commercial air-purifier filters, and have issued a series of reports and warnings on the devices.
The groups have warned that these filters are not recommended for pets, pets older than three years, pets that have a history of allergic conditions and pets with allergies to food or water.
“While most of the studies have been conducted in pets, we are concerned about other pets and do not recommend these products for use on other animals,” the AMA says in its report.
“We have been asked by pet owners to recommend these filters as a means to combat dust, but the results of the many studies do not support this claim.”
The EWB says it has spoken with the FDA and has begun reviewing its report on commercial air air filters to determine if it was properly conducted.
“The FDA should conduct a full review of the literature to determine whether commercial air filtering is effective in treating allergies,” the EWB wrote in its letter to the FDA.
“Regulatory actions to protect public health would be appropriate if we were to see this data in humans.”
While there have been some recent studies that have demonstrated the efficacy and safety of commercial filters, the FDA is expected to issue a final rule in the next few months on the safety of the devices in the marketplace.
“Given the significant uncertainties surrounding the safety and effectiveness of air filters, it is important that the FDA be careful in its interpretation of these studies,” the group writes.
“For these reasons, we have recommended that the Agency conduct a thorough review of these issues and determine whether they warrant further regulatory action.”