Letter to pass Bill A.2471
Carry Epinephrine at School
* Instructions: copy/paste letter into "Message" at: http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=037&sh=con or mail to:
Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan
DISTRICT OFFICE
41-02 Queens Blvd
Suite 2B
Sunnyside, NY 11104
Dear Assemblymember Nolan,
As Chair of the Education Committee, we urge you to help pass A.2471, a bill that would allow students with life-threatening food allergy to carry their prescribed epinephrine at school. A.2471 is currently being co-sponsored by fifteen Assembly Members.
As you may know, food allergy is a growing public health issue in the US, especially among children. It is one of the common medical conditions that must be addressed in the school setting. According to the Centers for Disease Control, four out of every 100 children has a food allergy.[i] This means that approximately 130,000 school-aged children in New York are at risk.[ii]
Epinephrine is the first drug that should be used in the emergency management of a child having a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. Data clearly show that fatalities caused by anaphylaxis are associated with either not using epinephrine or a delay in the use of epinephrine treatment.
As a result, it is imperative that students (who are responsible enough to do so) be allowed to carry their prescribed epinephrine with them at school. Such a policy helps ensure that this life-saving medication will be quickly accessible in the event of an emergency. Such a policy is also recommended by The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI)[iii], the American Medical Association (AMA)[iv], and the New York Statewide School Health Services Center.[v]
Currently, more than forty states have enacted legislation or regulations allowing children to possess, and potentially self-administer their prescribed epinephrine while at school. We see no reason why New York cannot join these states.
Sincerely,
Protect Allergic Kids (PAK) and The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN)
Protect Allergic Kids (PAK) is a support group/nonprofit organization based in Suffolk County, Long Island. FAAN is a nonprofit organization, founded in 1991, with nearly 30,000 members nationwide, most of whom are the parents of children with life threatening food allergies.
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[i] Branum, AM and Lukacs, SL. Food Allergy Among U.S. Children: Trends in Prevalence and Hospitalizations. National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NCHS Data Brief No. 10, October, 2008.
[ii] Based on the 2008 population estimate for New York from the US Census Bureau, www.census.gov
[iii] Anaphylaxis in schools and other child-care settings. Position Statement 34 from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
[iv] American Medical Association House of Delegates. Resolution 415. April 28th, 2004.
[v] Caring for Students with Life-Threatening Allergies. Published by the New York State Department of Health, New York State Education Department, New York Statewide School Health Services Center, June, 2008.
[1] Branum, AM and Lukacs, SL. Food Allergy Among U.S. Children: Trends in Prevalence and Hospitalizations. National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NCHS Data Brief No. 10, October, 2008.
[1] Based on the 2008 population estimate for New York from the US Census Bureau, www.census.gov
[1] Anaphylaxis in schools and other child-care settings. Position Statement 34 from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
[1] American Medical Association House of Delegates. Resolution 415. April 28th, 2004.
[1] Caring for Students with Life-Threatening Allergies. Published by the New York State Department of Health, New York State Education Department, New York Statewide School Health Services Center, June, 2008.
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