Popular Firefighter Medicine Avoids California Restrictions For Now

The California State Board of Pharmacy is, for now, not restricting a popular medication used by firefighters to prevent cancer. After meeting on Wednesday, the Board decided to push the matter on restricting Category 1 sterile compounded substances to a September 12th meeting. One of these substances is Glutathione, an antioxidant, and is used in treatments to detoxify and heal firefighters’ lungs. Research has shown promising results in lowering toxin levels in firefighters, but the proposed ban could hinder these health efforts. In 2023, 72-percent of firefighter line-of-duty deaths were due to occupational cancer, not fire.