HERTFORDSHIRE, England and
PITTSBURGH, Aug. 10, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, in
recognition of the third anniversary of
EpiPen4Schools®, Mylan N.V. (Nasdaq: MYL), the
marketer and distributor of EpiPen® (epinephrine
injection) Auto-Injector, has announced the program will continue
through the 2015/2016 school year. This is the only program of its
kind supporting access to epinephrine in the event a person
experiences a life-threatening allergic reaction, or anaphylaxis,
in the school setting. Since its launch in August 2012, more than 56,000 schools have
participated in the program.
"As we reflect on the first three years of the program, we are
proud of the progress made to enhance anaphylaxis preparedness in
schools across the country," said Mylan CEO, Heather Bresch. "With more than 56,000 schools
enrolled to date, we often hear about the impact this program has
had in local communities. Up to 25% of anaphylaxis cases at school
occur in those who have not been previously diagnosed with a
life-threatening allergy, so we encourage eligible schools to
enroll before students return this fall."
An exploratory, web-based survey of more than 6,000 schools
participating in the EpiPen4Schools® program
during the 2013/2014 school year found there were a total of 919
anaphylactic events among students and staff at 607 schools. In
those events when an epinephrine auto-injector was used, nearly
half (48.7%) were treated with an EpiPen® Auto-Injector
provided by the EpiPen4Schools® program.
"This past school year, EpiPen® Auto-Injectors
provided by the EpiPen4Schools® program were used
in two incidents," said Connie Trent,
RN, BSN, Health Services Facilitator, Forsyth County Schools, Cumming, Ga. "It is of utmost importance that
school personnel are able to act quickly, and with the support and
training resources provided through
EpiPen4Schools®, our staff is prepared to
respond."
Anaphylaxis is unpredictable, so it is important to be prepared
with an anaphylaxis action plan that can be activated immediately
and involves: avoiding allergic triggers, recognizing the signs and
symptoms of anaphylaxis, having access to two epinephrine
auto-injectors, such as EpiPen® Auto-Injectors, at all
times and seeking immediate emergency medical care should
anaphylaxis occur.
As part of enrollment in the EpiPen4Schools®
program, eligible* schools may choose to receive:
- Four free EpiPen® (epinephrine injection) or
EpiPen Jr® (epinephrine injection) Auto-Injectors
in the form of two EpiPen 2-Pak® cartons, two
EpiPen Jr 2-Pak® cartons, or one 2-Pak of each
kind.
- A convenient storage unit, the EpiLocker™, to store EpiPen
2-Pak® and EpiPen Jr 2-Pak® cartons
received through the program.
- Anaphylaxis: Know It. See It. Treat It. Training
Video, which is available on DVD or for download and features
an anaphylaxis overview from Dr. Ruchi
Gupta, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University and Lurie Children's
Hospital, and a step-by-step demonstration of how to administer
EpiPen® Auto-Injector.
- EpiPen® Trainer, which contains no drug product
or needle, to practice administering
EpiPen® Auto-Injector.
- Signs and Symptoms of Anaphylaxis Poster, which is available
for order and includes the most common indicators of anaphylaxis to
support recognition of these symptoms and help prompt response in
an emergency.
For more information about EpiPen® Auto-Injectors and
the EpiPen4Schools® program, visit
EpiPen4Schools.com.
Connie Trent is a spokesperson
of Mylan. Dr. Ruchi Gupta is a paid
spokesperson of Mylan.
*A school will only receive EpiPen® Auto-Injectors in
accordance with all applicable laws. The school must submit a valid
prescription in order to qualify for this program. There is no
requirement for a school to purchase additional EpiPen®
or EpiPen Jr® Auto-Injectors or any other Mylan
Specialty products.
Indications
EpiPen® (epinephrine injection)
0.3 mg and EpiPen Jr® (epinephrine injection) 0.15 mg
Auto-Injectors are for the emergency treatment of life-threatening
allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) caused by allergens, exercise, or
unknown triggers; and for people who are at increased risk for
these reactions. EpiPen® and EpiPen Jr® are
intended for immediate administration as emergency supportive
therapy only. Seek immediate emergency medical help right away.
Important Safety Information
EpiPen® and
EpiPen Jr® Auto-Injectors contain a single dose of
epinephrine, which you (or your caregiver or others who may be in a
position to administer EpiPen® or EpiPen Jr®)
inject into the middle of your outer thigh (upper leg) (through
clothing, if necessary). Get emergency medical help right away. You
may need further medical attention. Only a health care professional
should give additional doses of epinephrine if you need more than
two injections for a single anaphylactic episode. DO NOT INJECT
INTO YOUR VEINS, BUTTOCKS, FINGERS, TOES, HANDS OR FEET. In case of
accidental injection, please seek immediate medical treatment.
Epinephrine should be used with caution if you have heart disease
or are taking certain medicines that can cause heart-related
(cardiac) symptoms.
Tell your doctor if you have certain medical conditions such as
asthma, depression, thyroid disease, Parkinson's disease, diabetes,
high blood pressure or heart disease, have any other medical
conditions, are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, or are
breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Be sure to also tell your
doctor all the medicines you take, especially medicines for asthma.
If you have certain medical conditions, or take certain
medicines, your condition may get worse or you may have longer
lasting side effects when you use EpiPen® or EpiPen
Jr®.
The most common side effects may include increase in heart rate,
stronger or irregular heartbeat, sweating, nausea or vomiting,
difficulty breathing, paleness, dizziness, weakness, shakiness,
headache, apprehension, nervousness or anxiety. These side effects
may go away if you rest. Tell your health care professional if
you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go
away.
Please see the full Prescribing Information and Patient
Information.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of
prescription drugs to the FDA.
Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
For additional information, please contact us at
800-395-3376.
About Anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening
allergic reaction that has many possible triggers, occurs quickly,
without warning, and must be treated immediately with
epinephrine. Symptoms may include hives, itching, swelling or
redness of the skin, tightness in the throat, nausea, dizziness,
breathing problems, a decrease in blood pressure and/or fainting.
Anaphylaxis can be caused by triggers such as food, stinging and
biting insects, medicines, latex or even exercise. While symptoms
of an allergic reaction vary from person to person, reactions can
quickly progress to become life-threatening.
About the EpiPen4Schools®
Program
The EpiPen4Schools® program
launched in August 2012 to help
improve access to epinephrine in the event a person experiences
anaphylaxis in the school setting. The program offers four free
EpiPen® or EpiPen Jr® (epinephrine
injection) Auto-Injectors, upon qualification, which includes
having a valid prescription, to public and private
kindergarten, elementary, middle and high schools in the U.S. 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.
EpiPen® Auto-Injectors contain a single dose of
epinephrine, which you inject into your outer thigh.
EpiPen® and EpiPen Jr® are intended for
immediate self-administration as emergency supportive therapy only.
Seek immediate emergency medical treatment after use.
In addition, Mylan offers a discount program through which
schools can purchase, upon qualification,
EpiPen 2-Pak® cartons and EpiPen
Jr 2-Pak® cartons at a discounted price. There is
no requirement for a school to purchase additional
EpiPen® or EpiPen
Jr® Auto-Injectors or any other Mylan products.
For complete program details, visit EpiPen4Schools.com.
About EpiPen® (epinephrine injection)
Auto-Injector
EpiPen® (epinephrine
injection) and EpiPen Jr® (epinephrine
injection) Auto-Injectors are used for the emergency treatment
of life-threatening allergic reactions. Each EpiPen
2-Pak® and EpiPen Jr
2-Pak® contains two single auto-injectors,
instructions for use and a training device, with no drug product or
needle, to help patients become familiar with the administration
technique. EpiPen® Auto-Injector should be
administered immediately at the first sign of an anaphylactic
reaction. EpiPen® Auto-Injector is not a
substitute for emergency medical treatment. Patients should
seek emergency medical attention immediately following
administration. EpiPen® Auto-Injector has been
the No. 1 prescribed epinephrine auto-injector in the U.S. for more
than 25 years and has three-step simple instructions for use. For
more information about EpiPen® Auto-Injector, visit
EpiPen.com.
About Mylan
Mylan is a global pharmaceutical company
committed to setting new standards in healthcare. Working together
around the world to provide 7 billion people access to high quality
medicine, we innovate to satisfy unmet needs; make reliability and
service excellence a habit; do what's right, not what's easy; and
impact the future through passionate global leadership. We offer a
growing portfolio of around 1,400 generic pharmaceuticals and
several brand medications. In addition, we offer a wide range of
antiretroviral therapies, upon which nearly 50% of HIV/AIDS
patients in developing countries depend. We also operate one of the
largest active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturers and
currently market products in about 145 countries and territories.
Our workforce of more than 30,000 people is dedicated to creating
better health for a better world, one person at a time. Learn more
at mylan.com.
EpiPen®, EpiPen Jr®, EpiPen
2-Pak® and EpiPen Jr 2-Pak® are registered
trademarks of Mylan Inc. licensed exclusively to its wholly-owned
subsidiary, Mylan Specialty L.P. EpiPen4Schools®
is a registered trademark of Mylan Inc. EpiLocker™ is a trademark
of Mylan Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective
owners.
© 2015 Mylan Specialty L.P. All rights reserved.
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SOURCE Mylan N.V.