I recently came across this great program!
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| Logo used with permission |
Here’s how it works:
The program offers four FREE EpiPen® or EpiPen Jr® Auto-Injectors to qualifying public and private kindergarten, elementary, middle and high schools in the U.S. Requirements to qualify for this offer include having a valid prescription. The products are available in the form of two EpiPen 2-Pak® cartons, two EpiPen Jr 2-Pak® cartons or one 2-Pak of each kind. Each EpiPen 2-Pak® contains two single auto-injectors, instructions for use and a EpiPen® Trainer, with no drug product or needle, to help patients become familiar with the administration technique.
In the event that the free supply is used to respond to an allergic emergency (anaphylactic event), qualifying schools are eligible to receive a replenishment order of EpiPen® or EpiPen Jr® Auto-Injectors prior to their annual eligibility date at no additional cost.
I shared this with Zax’s school nurse right after I found out about it. She sounded wary when I asked whether the school already had stock epinephrine, but got really excited when I told her about the program. She told me that we have a few students who have been diagnosed with food allergies, but whose parents are unable to afford to keep epinephrine at school, so stock EpiPens would be a terrific way to keep them safe until paramedics can reach the school.
I also know that we have one student who has an allergic parent and he’s never eaten his parent’s allergen–but he’s convinced he’s allergic, too. I can only imagine that he has no EpiPen since he’s undiagnosed, so stock epinephrine would be a good safety net in case his suspicion is correct and he’s accidentally exposed at school. Other kids can have their first exposure to an allergen at school too, so there are plenty of reasons why having stock epinephrine on hand is safer and helpful!
The last I heard, our school nurse had passed this on to the district nurse, and they’re in the process of qualifying.
I also shared this with Kal’s preschool. I don’t know whether a private preschool would be eligible (it doesn’t mention preschools on the website) but I figured it was worth a shot. The Admin informed me they’d been considering stock epinephrine anyway!
Mylan is also extending their $0 copay program for EpiPens into 2015, so check that out if your copay is more than a few bucks!
https://www.epipen.com/copay-offer
I think it’s great that Mylan Specialty wants to give back! Be sure to share this with your child’s school and with your social networks–undoubtedly you know more people touched by food allergies than you think, and they could all benefit from this!
