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Elaine Fraser’s life was saved thanks to a change in the law that allowed schools to stock and administer adrenaline pens. After drinking a ginger beer, Elaine collapsed at home, unaware that she had a severe allergy. Recognizing the symptoms of anaphylactic shock, she knew that her time was running out and made a call to her school caretaker, Jason Jaekel. Within minutes, Jason arrived and administered the EpiPen as he had been taught at York House School. Elaine’s life was saved, highlighting the importance of stocking adrenaline pens in schools.
The school EpiPen scheme is optional and unfunded, meaning only half of schools have signed up. Some MPs want the scheme to be mandatory and extended beyond schools to other public places. Zak Marks, who supplies adrenaline pens to schools through his firm Kitt Medical, shares that ambition. His goal is to see adrenaline pens in every public place to save lives in emergency situations. However, the Chief Medical Officer has voiced concerns about administering adrenaline pens without proper training.
A change in the law in Ireland now allows trained individuals to administer adrenaline in public places. However, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency say they can only do the same in the UK with another change in the law. Dr Chinedu Nwokoro acknowledges there are obstacles to bringing EpiPens to more locations. He believes a change in the law is required to mitigate continued deaths or serious near-misses from anaphylaxis that it could prevent.
Allergy prevalence is rising and affecting more people. After the home, schools and restaurants are the most common places for severe reactions. Therefore, policymakers must consider better access to adrenaline pens to keep allergy sufferers safe. While Elaine’s ginger beer allergy remains a mystery, Professor Adam Fox says discovering or developing an allergy later in life is uncommon and not something to be unduly worried about. As a result, the Department of Health and Social Care is working with organizations to improve allergy care and support
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