A spray instead of a needle? Britain consults on emergency adrenaline in schools

The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency opened a consultation on 19 October about allowing schools to keep spare adrenaline nasal sprays. The medicine would be used for anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction that needs immediate treatment. The agency says around 8% of UK children and young people have a food allergy.

Schools can already stock spare adrenaline auto-injectors. The proposal would let them choose injectors, nasal sprays or both. The crucial safeguard remains: emergency stock would be for a child already known to be at risk, administered by appropriately trained staff. It would not replace a pupil’s own prescribed medicine.

This is a consultation, not a rule already in force. It runs for eight weeks and is due to close on 14 December. Respondents are being asked to consider storage, staff training and how to avoid confusion when more than one delivery method is available. A clear emergency procedure matters more than the device’s apparent convenience.

Source: MHRA.