I also conducted research about being against college campuses carrying free EpiPens on campuses. EpiPens are not cheap and require appropriate technique in order to use them properly. Based on my research I found that EpiPens are cheaper for those who have insurance . There is a company called Mylan that has recently forced all middle, elementary and high schools to carry free EpiPens for all students. But not colleges. Probably because college students should be reasonable enough to carry their own.
I agree more with allowing EpiPens on college campuses. Even though it may cost schools more money college students already have a lot going for them. They have to worry about studying , paying for school the last thing on their mind is paying for an EpiPen or making sure they always have one on them.
Below is my essay for college campuses carrying free EpiPens for students.
For
College Campuses Providing Free EpiPens
Long
before the recent wide spread 2013 Mylan TV commercial, “Everything and
Anything”, (a little girl is seen walking with her mom who places an EpiPen in
the little girls book bag) EpiPens were and are still life savers for those
who unfortunately have food allergies. The commercial on YouTube states “As moms we
do our best to be ready for everything and anything. So when our little ones
have peanut allergies we never let them leave home without a plan. Avoid allergens first, carry EpiPen always.” Yes,
it is easier to carry around EpiPens for children, but what about adolescents
in college? Their moms are not with them on a college campus. What about
college students who can not afford EpiPens? What happens if a college student
goes into anaphylactic shock and people around them do not know what to do? College campuses should have free EpiPens to
prevent these cases from occurring. Society rarely pays any attention to these
possible cases and they will continue not to until innocent lives are taken.
Anaphylactic
shock is “a medical emergency that can rapidly become life threatening if left
untreated,” (Cable and Schub). It is a serious yet preventable death. It is
caused from bee stings, bug bites, and or ingestion of a severe food allergy. The
most common food allergies are peanut, soy, or shellfish. Caple states that “symptoms
from anaphylactic shock are dyspnea, difficulty swallowing, and tightness in
the throat, chest pain, and dizziness, visual disturbances, a feeling of
warmth, and abdominal cramps.” As a result of anaphylactic shock, an individual
throat closes and the individual dies if left untreated. Over the years food
allergies have increased. To help save lives, the epinephrine auto injector,
also known as an EpiPen was invented. “An EpiPen is a needle and syringe device
that automatically injects a fixed amount of epinephrine (adrenaline) into an
arm or leg,” (Asthma/Allergy). Epinephrine is a drug that stops an allergic
reaction or prevents it from occurring in the first place. The time of life or
death begins to tick once a severely allergic individual has an allergic
reaction. EpiPens must be used immediately as soon as an individual realizes
that they have ingested their extreme food allergy or start to show symptoms of
a reaction. A lot of college students have food allergies. Some students may
not even be aware that they have food allergies. College individuals who struggle to pay for
college may not be able to afford EpiPens. EpiPens range from seventy dollars
to two hundred and forty nine dollars. They are cheaper for those who have
insurance. EpiPens do expire, must be handled with care, and cannot be used
twice. “EpiPens should be stored in a dark place at temperatures between 59 and
86 Fahrenheit--that means they should not be left in a hot car or kept in a
refrigerator,”(Asthma/Allergy). If some college students are already struggling
to pay for college it will be more of an inconvenience for them to pay for
their own EpiPen every time it expires. As a result, they will not purchase one
and think that they will be fine and put themselves at risk of death. Some
people have realized the seriousness of individuals who need EpiPens. Mylan is
a company that hands out free EpiPens for schools so students are safe. “The EpiPen4Schools
programme in August 2012 helped US schools participate and redeem free EpiPen
or EpiPen Jr (epinephrine) Auto-Injectors in the event a person experiences a
life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) at school. Each school should
have a comprehensive anaphylaxis action plan that emphasizes avoidance of the
allergen, which includes awareness of the risks, preparedness for an emergency
and access to two epinephrine auto-injectors and immediate medical care” (Mylan
Specialty). Mylan realizes that the schools could be sued if something were to happen
to students while under their care, whether students know they are having an
allergic reaction or not. If students show any signs of an allergic reaction,
the EpiPen is brought out. So if elementary and middle schools carry free
EpiPens for students why not colleges? The same thing should occur at college
campuses. College students with food allergies could sue their universities if
they were to ingest a severe food allergy.
In
addition, if colleges carry free EpiPens on campus, it will be more convenient
for students. Instead of wasting time calling 911 after anaphylactic shock
begins, students can receive treatment from an EpiPen. They should be able to simply
retrieve an EpiPen from their campus health center or from security services. Having
EpiPens on campus will save not only time and lives, but it will also save
money. Hospitals are not cheap, especially
for those who do not have insurance. They charge for every medical test or
treatment. Why should college students pay for EpiPens at a hospital if they
can receive the same thing for free at their college? What about the college
students who do not live on campus? What if they go into anaphylactic shock and
have an EpiPen, but it is at their home? What about students who have no idea
that they have food allergies and go into anaphylactic shock? Some people may
disagree with my feelings toward having free EpiPens on college campuses, and
feel that college students are adults and should be responsible enough to carry
their own EpiPens. But that may be the last thing on some student’s minds.
College students already have to worry about their grades and studying, the
last thing on their mind is carrying their EpiPen everywhere they go. Some book
bags may already be too full of books to even be able to fit an EpiPen.
Furthermore, if college campuses carry free EpiPens
for students more people will be aware of how serious of a matter food
allergies are. Some people think food allergies are not a big deal. College
students eat in college cafeterias that are ridden with major foods that they
are allergic to. That is if college cafeterias do not have their own separate
area for students who have food allergies. In many colleges, the staff could
care less about students, and only care about their pay checks. So when
students ask “what is in this?” They often reply with a blunt answer such as “I
do not know” and just tell the student that their allergen is not in the food,
without actually checking to see whether or not the food contains the student’s
food allergen. Now that same student’s
life is at stake. Imagine that the student has an EpiPen on them, but the staff
at the university has no idea how to use it and the school’s local health
center is closed that same day. It is up to the staff member to save the
students life. It only takes a few minutes- sometimes seconds, depending on the
severity of the food allergy- for an allergic reaction or anaphylactic shock to
occur.
In conclusion, all college campuses should carry
free EpiPens for their students. Food
allergies are very serious and can often be deadly. Why take the risk of not doing something to
prevent cases of college students dying due to lack of EpiPens on campus? Continuing
to not have free EpiPens on college campuses will cause more and more of a
possibility of universities being sued for not providing to students. For the consideration
and safety of college students who have food allergies, there should be a free
stock of EpiPens on all campuses. Unless the colleges do not mind being sued by
angry parents, or want their names to be tarnished, colleges should provide
free EpiPens. “As moms we do our best to be ready for everything and anything,”
(Mylan C.). College moms want their child’s college to do everything and
anything to make sure that their students are safe on campus.
Works Cited:
Caple, C, and T Schub. "Shock, Anaphylactic". CINAHL: CINAHL, (2013).Web. 2 Nov. 2013.
( This article was about what Anaphylactic Shock is and the cause of it.)
( This article was about what Anaphylactic Shock is and the cause of it.)
Mylan, C. “Everything and Anything” YouTube. YouTube, 18 Sept. 2013. Web. 2 Nov. 2013
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrB8e66fc98) Quote: "Carry EpiPen Always"
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrB8e66fc98) Quote: "Carry EpiPen Always"
“Mylan Specialty LP Offers Free EpiPen Or EpiPen Jr Auto-Injectors for Life-Threatening Anaphylaxis in US Schools Through Epipen4schools Programme.” Equitybites (M2) (2013): pg. 1 Regional Business News .Web. 2 Nov. 2013.
Quote: "EpiPen4Schools programme in August 2012 to help US schools participate and redeem free EpiPen or EpiPen Jr (epinephrine) Auto-Injectors in the event a person experiences a life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) at school."
Quote: "EpiPen4Schools programme in August 2012 to help US schools participate and redeem free EpiPen or EpiPen Jr (epinephrine) Auto-Injectors in the event a person experiences a life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) at school."
