National Allergy Strategy Group
Funding “spare” adrenaline autoinjectors (such as EpiPen or Jext devices) for all UK schools could save the NHS millions while protecting children at risk of anaphylaxis—a landmark study reveals substantial impact if the scheme was to be funded nationally.
The study led by Dr Paul Turner, Professor of Anaphylaxis at Imperial College London and published online in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, provides compelling evidence that UK schools could improve emergency care for allergic children and save the NHS at least GBP4.6 million annually, by centrally funding “spare” adrenaline autoinjectors for use in schools.
“Around 3% of school-aged children in England are at risk of food-induced anaphylaxis, with most experiencing at least one accidental allergic reaction every 2–3 years. Since 2017, schools have been able to obtain ‘spare’ adrenaline ‘pens’ for emergencies, but uptake remains low. Schools often...
