AAEM Endorsed Bill on School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Unanimously Passes House Committee

7/31/13: UPDATE: H.R. 2094 has advanced with overwhelming support in the House of Representatives, and will advance to the Senate. 

View a copy of the bill.   

Read coverage of this story from Forbes Magazine.



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
July 18, 2013
Contact: Laura Burns
lburns@aaem.org
800-884-2236 

AAEM Endorsed Bill on School Access to Emergency Epinephrine
Unanimously Passes House Committee

MILWAUKEE — The American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM) is proud to announce that the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act (H.R. 2094) has unanimously passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee and will be considered by the full House in the next two weeks.

The bill encourages states to adopt policies that increase access to epinephrine in schools to protect students who are at risk of fatal anaphylaxis, a systemic allergic reaction.

One of the bill’s sponsors, House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD), said in his press release applauding the passage that, “As the grandfather of a child with food allergies, I know firsthand how worrisome it can be knowing that exposure to even a minuscule amount of allergen could quickly develop into life-threatening anaphylaxis.”

Rep. Hoyer introduced the bill with Rep. Phil Roe, MD (R-TN). In his press release, Rep. Roe noted that, “You can never be too careful when protecting the life of a child and this legislation will ensure we’re taking every precaution possible to ensure children are safe should they have an allergic reaction at school.”

AAEM president, William T. Durkin, Jr., MD MBA FAAEM, noted the importance of this bill,“As emergency physicians, we understand that prompt action is imperative in the situation of anaphylaxis. The bill allows for a potentially life saving treatment to be administered immediately onsite rather than wait for EMS personnel to arrive on scene. At times, the extra time lost can make a difference between life and death. The Academy is pleased to have been a sponsor of this bill that will truly make a difference in the health and well being of the public.”

The bill is co-sponsored by 19 Democrats and 15 Republicans, and is endorsed by Food Allergy Research & Education and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI), in addition to AAEM. 

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The American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM) is the specialty society in emergency medicine today. As an organization, AAEM believes achievement of board certification represents the only acceptable method of attaining recognition as a specialist in emergency medicine.

For more information, about AAEM, our mission, and programs, please visit

www.aaem.org or call 800-884-2236.

View this release on the AAEM website.