FARE CALLS ON U.S. AIRLINES TO STOCK EPINEPHRINE AUTO-INJECTORS ON ALL COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS

Key Members of Congress send letter to FAA urging epinephrine for emergency medical kits

McLean, Va. (February 7, 2020) – FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education), the world’s leading food allergy research, advocacy and education organization, appreciates the leadership of United States Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), U.S. Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA) who today sent a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) urging the agency to require U.S.-based commercial airlines to include epinephrine auto-injectors in their onboard emergency medical kits (EMKs).

Thirty-two million Americans suffer from potentially life-threatening food allergies, every three minutes a food allergy reaction sends someone to the emergency room and, over the last decade, there has been a nearly 400 percent increase in diagnoses of anaphylactic food reactions. This situation is made even more dire mid-flight when epinephrine autoinjectors and medical attention are not always or readily available.

“Thirty-two million Americans suffer from potentially life-threatening food allergies and it is absolutely imperative that America’s airline carriers update their practices to prevent the risk of a fatal anaphylactic reaction and to keep their passengers safe,” said Lisa Gable, chief executive officer of FARE. “FARE recognizes the efforts of Senator Schumer, Senator Duckworth and Representative Khanna who are working to protect citizens with food allergies and joins them in urging the FAA to take swift action by including epinephrine auto-injectors in emergency medical kits.”

On October 9, 2019, Gable sent a letter to the CEOs of America’s airline carriers requesting them to voluntarily commit to stock epinephrine auto-injectors in all onboard medical kits and contacted the manufacturers of epinephrine auto-injectors to support their efforts. FARE was pleased that following Gable’s letter, several airlines began committing to new practices that would include carrying easy-to-use, precisely dosed auto-injectors. Currently American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Frontier, Sun Country and Elite Airlines all carry epinephrine auto-injectors (any brand) in their medical kits.

Other developments in favor of safer practices for food allergy suffers include a May 2019 order issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation indicating that passengers with life-threatening food allergies must be allowed to preboard airplanes to allow for extra time to clean seating surfaces.

To learn more about FARE and its advocacy efforts, please visit www.foodallergy.org.