Students May Carry Epipen in Florida
January 14, 2006
The state of Florida has made it legal for students to carry allergy medicine. On the first of January, the Kelsey Ryan Act went into effect. The law applies to elementary, middle and high school students who have a high risk for life-threatening allergic reactions.
The act is named after a nine-year-old girl from Central Florida who has a severe allergy to peanuts.
The allergy drug in question is epinephrine, a chemical that narrows blood vessels and opens airways in the lungs. Sold under brand-name " Epipen", epinephrine injection is used to treat severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) to insect stings or bites, foods, drugs and other allergens as well as exercise-induced anaphylaxis.
Epipens are intended to be used for immediate self-administration by a person with a history of anaphylactic reactions.
According to a report published on Tampabays10.com on January 10, 2006, the new law applies approximately 100,000 Florida school-children, making it legal for them to carry and self-administer with an Epipen while in school.
According to the report, an estimated 1-2% of the general population is at risk for anaphylaxis. Moreover, approximately 100 food-related anaphylactic deaths are recorded annually.
Before the Kelsey Ryan Act went into effect, Epipens were kept in school offices or with a campus nurse, who might not always be reached fast enough in times of emergency.
Ariel Littleton is severely allergic to many foods, chemical cleaners and insects, as well as grass and pine. Ariel's comment to Tampbays10.com on Epipen for her allergies is, "It makes me feel more protected. Always there with me not try to figure out where it is if be there in time."
Kelsey Ryan says that her and her mother's next goal is address Congress about the other states that do not require that schools permit students to carry Epipens.
Source:
Law
allows students to carry allergy medicine, Tampbabays10.com,
January 10, 2006.
Pharma Industry News Archive
2007: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
2006: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
2005: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
2004: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
2003: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
2002: Jan | Apr | May | Jun | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
