State Rep. Nancy DeBoer (R-Holland) today celebrated the House passage of her bipartisan plan to improve access to epinephrine and ensure faster, safer responses to severe allergic reactions.

House Bills 5049-5054 expand the definition of an epinephrine delivery system, allowing a broader range of options beyond the traditional EpiPen. The bill package ensures that law enforcement officers, firefighters, teachers, school nurses, summer camp counselors, and other authorized individuals can administer epinephrine when seconds matter most.

“As we have seen in recent years, complex pharmaceutical supply chains and unforeseen global events can disrupt supplies of lifesaving drugs and inflate prices,” said DeBoer. “Having access to multiple options if they are available, is common sense.

“The Michigan Department of Education has reported 572 incidents that required administering emergency epinephrine on school property just in the past three years. Statistics for first responders and summer camps are not tracked by the state, so the number is likely much higher than that. This bipartisan plan gives first responders, school personnel and caregivers more options to act fast and save lives.”

Until recently, the EpiPen was the primary option available for treating anaphylaxis. The legislation opens the door to newer delivery systems, including options that are more resilient to extreme temperatures, making them better suited for first responders who store medications in their vehicles. Other alternatives include nasal spray options, which can be easier and less intimidating to administer, particularly in school settings where trained medical staff may not always be present.

“Michigan schools deserve flexible, readily available treatment options,” said DeBoer. “Over the past three school years, schools have averaged more than one life-threatening allergic emergency per day. About 36% of those incidents involved students with no known history of severe allergies, and in nearly two-thirds of cases, schools had to rely on their stock epinephrine. These emergencies don’t come with warnings, which is why it’s critical that epinephrine is easy to access and simple to use. We need to ensure that the right tools are ready the moment they’re needed.”