Bill urges schools to stock anti-allergy drug
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Tuesday passed legislation aimed at helping schools better prepare for severe, sometimes life-threatening, allergic reactions caused by eating peanuts or other food products.
The measure would give grant preferences to states that come up with policies to make epinephrine, a drug used to treat anaphylactic shock, available in schools. It would also encourage schools to permit trained administrators to administer epinephrine to students believed to be having an anaphylactic reaction and require states to review their liability laws to ensure that administrators have adequate legal protections when they come to the aid of students.
The bill, passed by voice vote, was sponsored by Rep. Phil Roe, a Tennessee Republican and doctor, and Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the House's second-ranked Democrat.
"My granddaughter has a severe peanut allergy, and the presence of EpiPens (epinephrine) in schools can be lifesaving," Hoyer said.
Roe and others said that 1 out of every 13 children under age 18, or about 6 million, suffer from food allergies. While some states allow children with known allergies to bring medicine to school, about a quarter of anaphylaxis cases in schools occur among students who are not aware that they have an allergy.
"This will save the lives of children who do not know they have an allergy which is life-threatening," Hoyer said.
"A systemic allergic reaction can kill within minutes," Roe said.
They said epinephrine should be available similarly to the stocking of emergency defibrillators in schools.
Anaphylactic shock can be caused by reaction to such foods as peanuts, wheat, shellfish, milk or eggs, or from bee stings. Epinephrine is effective in stopping the swelling in the throat or tongue that can be deadly.
The legislation now goes to the Senate for consideration.
Access selected articles, e-newsletters and more!
Viewed
Emailed
Recommended
Commented
Sponsored Whitepapers
• Best Practices in Information Management, Reporting and Analytics for Education
- Chief Innovation Officer
- The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE®), Washington, DC
- Common Core Literacy Assessment Developer - Part Time
- The Equity Project (TEP) Charter School, New York, NY
- Principal - Chicago Metro Area West
- The Menta Group, Hillside, IL
- Instructional Leadership Director
- ALBANY CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT, Albany, NY
- Chief Financial Officer
- Hernando County School Board, Brooksville, FL



We encourage lively debate, but please be respectful of others. Profanity and personal attacks are prohibited. By commenting, you are agreeing to abide by our user agreement.
All comments are public.