Province open to idea of providing EpiPens in schools, arenas

Liberal MLA Hal Perry wants the P.E.I. government to provide EpiPens in schools, arenas and other public buildings the same way it does with defibrillators.

Pen-like injector could save lives for people with allergic reaction, says MLA

CBC News · Posted: Dec 01, 2018 5:05 PM EST | Last Updated: December 1, 2018

An EpiPen is an auto-injector used to self-administer epinephrine, or adrenaline, during a life-threatening allergic reaction. (Jennifer Lee/CBC)

The P.E.I. government says it is open to the idea of supplying schools, arenas and other buildings with EpiPens the same way it does with defibrillators.

Liberal MLA Hal Perry raised the idea in the P.E.I. Legislature on Friday.

He also called on government to cover the entire cost.

An EpiPen is a hand-held device that treats severe allergic reactions by automatically injecting a dose of epinephrine.

Perry said they could save the life of someone having an allergic reaction as much as a defibrillator could save someone during a heart attack.

Where is the nearest defibrillator? Registry set to launch on P.E.I.

"I want to make sure that all children and all parents feel safe going into any public building anywhere on Prince Edward Island," he said.

I want to make sure that all children and all parents feel safe going into any public building anywhere on Prince Edward Island.— Hal Perry

"A parent having a child with an allergy and not being able to help them is probably one of the worst feelings that person could go through."

Some schools have EpiPens on site, but they are generally provided by parents.

MLA Hal Perry would like the P.E.I. government to cover the entire cost of EpiPens through its drug plans. (CBC)

Health Minister Robert Mitchell said having a prescribed medication in a public area would come with risks.

'Open to having a look'

"Having said that, if there is some way where the risk could be mitigated or controlled, certainly that is something we should take a look at would be very open to having a look at that."

The province said EpiPens are covered under various provincial health plans, though not everyone may be eligible and not all cover the dispensing fee. That fee is just over $12.

In the 2017-18 fiscal year, 46 Islanders received coverage for EpiPens, the province said.