EpiPens used 1,500X in 8,000 schools in 2015-2016 school year; 19% increase from 2014-2015

Oct 27, 2017, Mylan's EpiPen4Schools® Program Surpasses One Million Free Epinephrine Auto-Injector Donations to U.S. Schools https://www.gurufocus.com/news/585947 2017 marks the five-year anniversary of Mylan's EpiPen4Schools® program. New data presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting showed that more than 1,500 anaphylactic events were reported in the 2015-2016 school year, and nearly 60% of the time an epinephrine auto-injector was used, it was an EpiPen® (epinephrine injection, USP) Auto-Injector donated by the EpiPen4Schools program. … More than 73,000 schools have participated in the program since its launch in 2012 – or approximately 54% of the nation's schools. … More than 1,500 anaphylactic events were reported by more than 8,000 responding schools. An epinephrine auto-injector was used in 83% of the events, and nearly 60% of the time an epinephrine auto-injector was used, it was an EpiPen® (epinephrine injection, USP) Auto-Injector provided by Mylan's EpiPen4Schools program. Most events (87%) occurred in students, and higher anaphylactic event rates occurred among high school students compared with younger grade levels. Food was the most common trigger, followed by an unknown trigger. Nearly one-third (30%) of individuals experiencing anaphylaxis had no previously known allergies.  "The data from the most recent survey results, compared to previous school years, show an improvement in using epinephrine auto-injectors to treat anaphylaxis, in the number of times emergency medical services were called and in the number of schools with personnel trained to administer epinephrine," said Dr. White. "This shows that awareness and education are making a difference and highlights the importance of programs, like Mylan's EpiPen4Schools program, that provide stock epinephrine auto-injectors and educational materials to schools." In 2015-2016, use of epinephrine auto-injectors increased 19% over the 2014-2015 school year survey. The use of a stock epinephrine auto-injector provided by the EpiPen4Schools program in nearly 60% of cases was an increase of 10% over the 2014-2015 school year. Emergency medical services were called for 79% of anaphylactic events, an increase of 18% compared to the prior year. In 2013-2014, only 37% of schools had a school nurse or staff member trained to recognize the symptoms of anaphylaxis and administer epinephrine; respondents in the 2015-2016 survey reported that nearly 90% of schools had a trained school nurse.