Sorry for the delay folks. I spent the last week or so in the Big Apple visiting some of the sights. Despite having spent over a month there off and on in the past, the last time I was there was right before 9/11. Aside from all the attractions that Gotham has to offer, if you have the opportunity, visit the site and memorial at Ground Zero. I've no personal connection with anyone involved, but it was still a powerful reminder of that event.

_Back into the swing of things – Tuesday the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 2094 (School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act), a bill that would incentivize states to come up with policies to stock and administer drugs used to treat anaphylactic shock. Anaphylaxis is the most extreme reaction that can occur from a severe allergic attack and within minutes, can be fatal. Most commonly, people associate anaphylaxis with food allergies, but this type of shock can be the result of other allergens as well.

_On the state level, recent years have shown a willingness to integrate this type of program into public schools, but this is the first significant piece of legislation that would tie federal grant money to developing programs to deal with anaphylaxis. The proposed bill would not only give the green light for all schools to be able to stock epinephrine, the life saving drug used in auto-injectors (EpiPens), but also permit trained administrators to administer the drug in emergency situations. Lastly, it would make it so that in the event of an emergency, trained school officials administering epinephrine would be legally protected by state liability laws.

_From peanuts to bee stings, epinephrine has been effective drug in controlling anaphylaxis which can lead to severe swelling, the inability to breathe, and in the most severe instances, death. Allergies effect millions of school age children, and many food allergies can first crop up while at school. This bill hopes to provide the umbrella under which all schools can develop a plan of action and provide the emergency resources necessary under what can often be a life or death circumstance.

_With bipartisan support, the bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.

_To read the full version of H.R. 2094.

_Author: K. Gilmore
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