Q Your School: Free Epinephrine Auto-Injectors for Public Elementary Schools

(Sponsored Post)

As parents and teachers, you know how important it is to create a healthy environment for children to learn, grow and thrive. At kaléo, where we put patients first, we feel the same way. However, approximately six million children in the U.S. live with life-threatening allergies, meaning that an encounter with a peanut in the lunchroom or a bee sting during recess could trigger anaphylaxis to those at risk.

Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that can happen quickly and may cause death. Anaphylaxis can occur as a result of exposure to allergens including tree nuts, peanuts, milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, soy, wheat, insect bites, latex and medication, among other allergens, depending on what the person is allergic to.

One study suggests that as many as one-fifth of school-aged food-allergic children have had at least 1 reaction in school within the past 2 years.1 It is crucial for school administrators, teachers, and nurses to be prepared for a potential allergic emergency.

A company founded by patients for patients, we focus on providing solutions for life-threatening medical conditions, including life-threatening allergies – a medical condition that affects our founders and their families as well. To help ensure that children living with this condition are treated during an anaphylaxis emergency that occurs in the school setting, we at kaléo have created a new charitable product donation program, “Q Your School,” offering U.S. public elementary schools AUVI-Q® (epinephrine injection, USP) Auto-injectors free of charge. AUVI-Q is a FDA-approved prescription medicine used to treat life-threatening allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, in people who are at risk for or have a history of serious allergic reactions.

“Q Your School” provides up to four AUVI-Q cartons (each carton contains two epinephrine auto-injectors and a Trainer) per academic year, as well as access to educational materials on how to use AUVI-Q. There are no obligations, such as marketing or product exclusivity requirements, attached to the “Q Your School” program.

This program is an important step in helping to treat children with life-threatening allergies during an anaphylaxis emergency while they are at school. Our hope is that this program gives parents, teachers and school administrators access to epinephrine auto-injectors should an anaphylactic emergency occur in the school setting. AUVI-Q is not a substitute for emergency medical care.

To learn how to enroll your school in the “Q Your School” program, visit KaleoPharma.com/who-we-are/kaleo-cares/. To learn more about AUVI-Q, please visit AUVI-Q.com.

Indication

AUVI-Q (epinephrine injection, USP) is a prescription medicine used to treat life-threatening allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, in people who are at risk for or have a history of serious allergic reactions.

Important Safety Information

AUVI-Q is for immediate self (or caregiver) administration and does not take the place of emergency medical care. Seek immediate medical treatment after use. Each AUVI-Q contains a single dose of epinephrine. AUVI-Q should only be injected into your outer thigh, through clothing if necessary. If you inject a young child with AUVI-Q, hold their leg firmly in place before and during the injection to prevent injuries. Do not inject into veins, buttocks, fingers, toes, hands, or feet. If you accidentally inject AUVI-Q into any other part of your body, seek immediate medical treatment.

Rarely, patients who use AUVI-Q may develop infections at the injection site within a few days of an injection. Some of these infections can be serious. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms at an injection site: redness that does not go away, swelling, tenderness, or the area feels warm to the touch.

If you have certain medical conditions, or take certain medicines, your condition may get worse or you may have more or longer lasting side effects when you use AUVI-Q. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, especially medicines for asthma. Also tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, especially if you have asthma, a history of depression, thyroid problems, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, heart problems or high blood pressure, have any other medical conditions, are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Epinephrine should be used with caution if you have heart disease or are taking certain medicines that can cause heart-related (cardiac) symptoms.

Common side effects include fast, irregular or ‘pounding’ heartbeat, sweating, shakiness, headache, paleness, feelings of over excitement, nervousness, or anxiety, weakness, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, or breathing problems. These side effects usually go away quickly, especially if you rest. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Please click here to see the full Prescribing Information and the Patient Information at AUVI-Q.com.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Spencer Williamson is the president and CEO of kaléo.

National PTA does not endorse any commercial entity, product, or service.

References:

  1. Nowak-Wegrzyn A, Conover-Walker MK, Wood RA. Food-Allergic Reactions in Schools and Preschools. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2001;155(7):790-795. doi:10.1001/archpedi.155.7.790

National PTA does not endorse any commercial entity, product, or service.

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