Airline Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act (S.1972) Would Ensure Life-Saving Medication Available for Passengers with Allergies; Follows Successful Effort to Improve Access to Epinephrine in Schools
WASHINGTON –-(ENEWSPF)–August 6, 2015. U.S. Senators Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) this week introduced bipartisan legislation to improve access to life-saving medication for airline passengers with food and other severe allergies. The Airline Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act (S.1972) would require airlines to maintain a supply of epinephrine auto-injectors on commercial aircraft and to train flight crews on proper administration in the event of an allergy attack.
“Travelers with severe allergies deserve peace of mind that their flight crew can respond to an allergy attack,” Senator Kirk said. “Ensuring epinephrine is available on every flight will make flying safer and could save lives.”
“Every day, more than one million passengers in the United States trust their safety and well-being to airlines,” said Senator Shaheen. “It’s important that those airlines are properly equipped to handle emergencies, which should include having epinephrine on board, along with trained personnel to administer it.”
“As the parent of a child with severe allergies, I know that having an epinephrine auto-injector within reach makes a real difference in an emergency,” said Senator Warner. “Having this lifesaving treatment on airplanes and knowing that the crew will be trained to administer it in case of an attack will provide families with the security of knowing that their loved ones are safe when they fly.”
The Airline Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act would require commercial airlines to maintain at least two epinephrine auto-injectors (one adult dosage and one child dosage) on each aircraft and to train crew members to recognize allergy symptoms and administer epinephrine in the event of an allergy attack. Approximately 15 million Americans have food allergies that can cause fatal allergic reactions if not treated immediately.
S.1972 has been endorsed by Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) Group, the Association of Flight Attendants, and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
“Air travel can be particularly stressful for individuals and families managing food allergies because they do not have access to emergency medical care,” said Scott Riccio, senior vice president of education and advocacy at FARE. “This legislation will help address some of the biggest challenges faced by airline passengers with food allergies. Our hope is that the findings of the GAO report will lead to the development of clear, consistently applied accommodation policies to help passengers with food allergies make informed choices about their air travel plans. Furthermore, in the near-term this bill will ensure safer and more effective epinephrine treatment is available for in-flight emergencies.”
This legislation follows a successful effort led by Senators Kirk and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) to improve access to epinephrine in schools nationwide. Their bipartisan legislation, the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act, passed both houses of Congress unanimously and was signed into law in November 2013. The law rewards states that require schools to maintain a supply of epinephrine auto-injectors and train school personnel to administer a dosage in the event of an allergy attack.
Source: www.kirk.senate.gov
