Should every restaurant stock EpiPens?

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Would you be comfortable using an EpiPen on a stranger who is having a potentially lethal allergic reaction in a restaurant?

Hamilton, Ontario is the first city in Canada moving toward making restaurants have epinephrine auto-injectors available in case people who suffer from food allergies go into anaphylactic shock and need an emergency dose of the hormone.

Last Wednesday, Hamilton City Council approved a pilot project to start in March before potentially expanding the program to every restaurant in the city. It comes after a 12-year-old girl died from an allergic reaction in a food court in nearby Burlington earlier this year.

“In concept, I think it’s a good idea but it’s really important to start small with a pilot study and see how things will work,” says Laurie Harada, executive director of Anaphylaxis Canada.

“What’s really important is who’s going to be trained to use these devices. That involves knowing when and how to give the auto-injector.”

Anaphylaxis Canada states EpiPens are safe to use on healthy people. But there are risks, including potential cerebral hemorrhaging if the epinephrine is administered intravenously because of a sharp rise in blood pressure. The injections are supposed to go into the muscle of the mid-outer thigh.

But before other cities consider following Hamilton’s lead, Harada suggests focusing on doing more to prevent allergic reactions in the first place.

“It’s essential. These days there are more people with food allergies and it’s essential for restaurants to have staff trained to understand when they can and cannot provide a safe meal option,” she tells News1130.

“What you don’t want is to shut doors for people and tell them nothing is safe. On the other hand, if you are trying your best to manage allergens that could pose a risk, it’s important to tell the consumer so they can make an informed choice.”

She says people with food allergies need to take precautions and ask a lot of questions when dining out.

“On the restaurant side, it’s essential for food service companies to train their staff in terms of how to manage food allergens from the time they buy ingredients through storage, preparation and then serving the customers. If someone says they have a food allergy then staff need to either provide information or go get the manager. There needs to be a process in place.”

Harada, whose son suffers from potentially lethal food allergies,  says it’s not easy to avoid things that may cause a reaction.

“We eat so many times a day and people at risk need to be carrying their auto-injector with them, whether it’s an EpiPen or Allerject, and make sure they know how to use it. But we certainly need to depend on others to help out. For example, with my son, we count on others at food service establishments or in the school setting to be aware and to help with information.”

She adds parents are responsible for educating children with an allergy, encouraging them to take on more responsibility for managing it.

“It’s not just about one person being responsible. I think what we are seeing right now is there’s an expectation, and a hope, that more people will be able to help out.”