RESPONSE TO 400% EPIPEN® PRICE INCREASE

ASTHMA AND ALLERGY FOUNDATION OF AMERICA, ST. LOUIS CHAPTER
ISSUES RESPONSE TO 400% EPIPEN® PRICE INCREASE

ST. LOUIS, MO – With the steady increase in food allergies nationwide, The Asthma and Allergy Foundation ofAmerica, St. Louis Chapter (AAFA-STL) is expressing deep concern over the 400% increase in the cost of a popular epinephrine auto-injector.  EpiPen® is the predominantly-prescribed epinephrine auto-injector on the market, which can thwart serious allergic reactions when injected into the thigh.  AAFA-STL reports that 1 in 5 of the client families served this year have indicated a medical need for the medicine.

“With the sharp price surge for this life-saving medication, we have a growing concern for our client families and the allergy community at large,” said Joy Krieger, Executive Director, Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, St. Louis Chapter.  “Food allergies are now the #1 health concern from school nurses in Missouri; while public schools have access to free EpiPens® through 2016, families undeniably need to be equipped with the medicine outside of the school setting.” 

A current petition to Congress addressing the EpiPen® price increase, which AAFA-STL supports, can be found at http://www.petition2congress.com/20720/stop-epipen-price-gouging/.

About Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, St. Louis Chapter
With 35 years of service to the St. Louis community, AAFA-STL continues to help local underserved and uninsured children with their asthma and allergy medications, educates families, schools, and nurses about these conditions, and advocates for policies that will keep our community healthy. The organization is a proud member of the United Way of Greater St. Louis and Variety the Children’s Charity.

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AAFA-STL's Joy Krieger Speaks at "Every Student, Every Day" Conference; Addresses Asthma and Chronic Absenteeism

Asthma is the #1 health condition that accounts for missed school days.  In response to a recent article on absenteeism in schools in the region from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Not in class: Chronic absenteeism a problem throughout region's schools, June 22, 2016), it is imperative to understand that this chronic (yet manageable) disease is an underlying cause for thousands of hours of missed school.

In addition to being the #1 health-related reason for missed school, asthma rates are two times the national average in St. Louis, and asthma is the #1 reason kids visit the ER and go to the hospital. Community efforts to combat these trends are strong and numerous, with organizations like the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, St. Louis Chapter (AAFA-STL) working diligently to address the problem head-on, through legislative action and direct services to the community.  In fact, the organization just presented alongside Department of Health and Senior Services at a Washington D.C. conference directed at interventions put into place to combat chronic absenteeism across the country.

Missouri was FIRST in the country to pass legislation (HB 1188 in 2012) which authorizes a school nurse/other trained employee to stock and administer life-saving asthma rescue medicine to any child experiencing an asthma emergency in the school setting, and is currently just one of four states to pass such a law. Because of this, AAFA-STL's RESCUE program has seen a sizable increase in the number of schools served in the area, by providing assistance with asthma rescue medicine, durable medical equipment, education and support.  In fact, over the past two years, 82.4% of kids who were treated with a piece of asthma equipment provided by AAFA-STL (in the school setting)  were able to return to the classroom. 

Although the treatment of asthma is multi-faceted, it is crucial to involve schools and educators in the conversation.  Thanks to programs and legislation that directly impact how schools can be involved in helping children manage this disease, it is hopeful that a decrease in absenteeism among students will prevail.   

Joy B. Krieger, RN, MA

Executive Director