Illinois OKs EMTs to use syringe over EpiPen

Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner signed a bill that allows all trained emergency medical personnel to treat severe allergic reactions with epinephrine injected through a syringe rather than with costly autoinjectors, such as the EpiPen, according to NWI Times.

The law is effective Jan. 2017.

The news comes as pharmaceutical company Mylan increased the price of a two-dose package of EpiPens to more than $600, up from $100 in 2007, according to the article.

Paramedics and more highly trained EMTs have been able to inject epinephrine through syringes to treat allergic reactions, but the new law will also allow EMTs with basic-level training to do so as well.

A spokesperson for the Illinois department of health told NWI that agencies will be able to use the same training curriculum for both groups of medical technicians. If agencies wish to create new training procedures, they will have to first be approved by the depart of health, according to the article.

The new law allows individual agencies to decide if they want to train EMTs with basic-level training how to use the syringes.

More articles about legal and regulatory issues:
SC Supreme court declines to rule on Greenville Health System's switch to partially private hospital
Providence Health and Services hit with lawsuit over child rape allegations
Judge dismisses lawsuit against Arizona abortion restriction

Copyright © 2024 Becker's Healthcare. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Cookie Policy. Linking and Reprinting Policy.

 

Featured Whitepapers

Featured Webinars