ACOFP has endorsed legislation pending in the U.S. House of Representatives that would increase access to epinephrine in schools. ACOFP members are encouraged to make their voices heard in support of the legislation.
H.R. 4564, titled as Dillon’s Law, encourages trained individuals to administer epinephrine in schools during emergencies. Currently, the administration of this medication is limited solely to trained school employees. By incentivizing and extending Good Samaritan protections to individuals such as volunteers, coaches, or contractors on school grounds to administer epinephrine, they can step in with confidence to help a student or school staff when a life-threatening allergic reaction happens, and emergency medical services have not yet arrived.
H.R. 4564 also broadens the definition of “medication” to include “epinephrine delivery systems.” The current definition is limited to “auto-injectable epinephrine,” even though there have been innovations in epinephrine delivery devices, including nasal sprays.
The bipartisan legislation is authored by Reps. Glen Grothman (R-WI) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI).
ACOFP members can take action here to ask their Representative to cosponsor the legislation.