Imagine you are dining out, and out of nowhere your throat closes off, skin takes on a blood-red hue and your heart beats rapidly.
You know what it is — a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction.
But time is running out, and you need to get to the emergency room. The nearest hospital is about 20 minutes away.
Now imagine the same situation — but the restaurant has a supply of epinephrine auto-injectors, also known as “epi-pens,” which are most often used to treat anaphylaxis.
The latter scenario would play out if legislation proposed by state Rep. Matt Baker, R-Wellsboro, gets passed by lawmakers and approved by Gov. Tom Wolf. Baker’s legislative district includes a small portion of Potter County.
“This legislation is similar to an AED in that having this medication available can save lives,” Baker said. “If someone forgets to carry their medication with them or develops a new severe allergy, having this medication on-hand can save a life.”
Under House Bill 1351, recreation camps, colleges, restaurants, sports arenas and other entities would be allowed to maintain a supply of epi-pens and allow employees to administer the medication.
“Anaphylaxis causes approximately 1,500 deaths annual and children and adolescents are among those most at risk,” Baker said.
People who would be responsible for the storage, maintenance and oversight and use of epi-pens would need to undergo a training program offered through the state Department of Health.
“There is a Good Samaritan clause in the bill to protect entities, health care practitioners and employees from liability if they are acting in good faith,” according to information provided by Baker. “This legislation does not require entities to maintain a supply of epi-pens or administer epi-pens. The bill just permits entities to get a prescription if they want to acquire and stock epi-pens.”
Currently, the Public School Code allows a public school to authorize trained staff members to administer epi-pens and lets the school to maintain a supply of epi-pens.
“Allowing for the general availability of epinephrine auto-injectors could mean the difference between life and death for someone suffering a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis),” said Rep. Martin Causer, R-Turtlepoint. “Having that option is important in all areas of the state, but it could be especially important in areas like ours where it may take a little longer for the ambulance to arrive or to get to a hospital because of the distance they have to travel.”
The bill has the backing of Food Allergy Research & Education, Kids with Allergies, PA Medical Society, Mylan, Inc. and the state Department of Health.
Seventeen states have implemented similar pieces of legislation that allow entities to have epi-pens and more than 20 others are considering such a law.
Meanwhile, Baker has proposed House Bill 1625 that allows students who are capable of self-managing their diabetes to do so. What’s more, under the bill, trained staff would be able to assist with diabetes management and medications. The state Department of Health would also release management guidelines and training modules for schools.
“A school nurse often covers more than one school building, so he or she may not always be present in the case of an emergency,” Causer said. “Having another person at the school who is prepared to respond to an emergency, or to simply help a student monitor blood sugar levels, is certainly very valuable.”
Earlier this year, the American Diabetes Association encouraged state lawmakers to co-sponsor the bill.
“Unfortunately, thousands of students in Pennsylvania have diabetes,” said Marilyn Clougherty, who wrote a letter to state representatives on behalf of the American Heart Association. “Over the years medical advances have greatly improved the tools and medications available for people with diabetes. This has provided them with the ability to improve blood glucose control and to diminish risks for serious complications and even death.’
Yet, most students require diabetes to be managed throughout their time at school each day, she said, which many can do on their own. But younger students or others recently diagnosed would need assistance from adults, Clougherty said.
“And all students might need help from an adult in an emergency,” she said. “While Pennsylvania’s school nurses play a key role, and are the most appropriate person in the school setting to provide care for a student with diabetes, many schools do not have a full-time nurse, and even full-time nurses aren’t always available for a variety of circumstances.”
Such situations creates gaps in providing care to students who have diabetes.
“The school diabetes care bill would provide greater flexibility for schools to address such gaps, by providing the option for other staff in the school to be trained by a health care professional to assist the student with diabetes,” she said. “The American Diabetes Association and health care professionals specializing in diabetes endorse training school personnel to provide this care (when a school nurse is not available) as the best — and safest — solution.”
Across the country, about two-thirds of the states let non-medical school staff provide diabetes care, and in other settings across the Commonwealth, such care by non-medical staff is allowed, Clougherty said.
