School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act

In December 2010, The National Institute of Health’sNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases released their guidelines on food allergies for both the allergist and patient communities. Within is stated that:  “First-line...treatment forfood-induced anaphylaxis…is Epinephrine.”

FAAN is actively working to get un-designated or stock epinephrine auto-injectors into schools. And they need our help. From a FAAN press release:

The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN™) is working on federal legislation that would encourage states to adopt laws requiring schools to have on hand “stock” epinephrine auto-injectors – meaning epinephrine that is not prescribed specifically to a single student but can be used for any student and staff member in an anaphylactic emergency. In 2011, Nov. 17 this bill (S. 1884), the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act, was introduced in the Senate by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL). On Dec. 8, the bill (HR. 3627) was introduced in the House by Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and Rep. Phil Roe (R-TN).

What can you do? Send a letter, email or Tweet to your State Senator or Representative asking them to support bill S. 1884, the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act, introduced in the Senate by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) and bill HR. 3627 introduced in the House by Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and Rep. Phil Roe (R-TN).

FAAN has more information on how to contact your local representative about these two bills that could save a child's life. Act now.