Yesterday, a group of food allergy type bloggers met the new epinephrine auto-injector, Auvi-Q™, up close and personal at the Learning to Bake Allergen Free headquarters. To say the least, I was inspired by three lovely reasons! Of course, the shining star to was getting to know the Auvi-Q™ that I have wanted so painfully to learn more about! I have much to share today, so grab a cup of tea and pull up a chair.
Before I go too deep, I wanted to share that all of our travel expenses were covered by Feeding Eden, The Trials and Triumphs of a Food Allergy Familyin exchange for our evaluation and feedback regarding the Auvi-Q™. We were not asked for endorsements, recommendations or even kind words. I’m far too opinionated to ever agree to giving someone or something positive or negative reviews for payment or favors. My goal is to always share what I believe may be helpful to our food allergy and asthma community and to give you my opinions. This is the beauty of blogging, you get to be you-opinions and all!
Here are the links from the other bloggers with their insights:
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- From Henry Ehrlich at Epi Pen® (this is a site I regularly follow and enjoy): Feeding Eden, The Trials and Triumphs of a Food Allergy Family
- Jenny Sprage, (if you met her, you’d just want to hang out with her) from Colette Martin: Auvi-Q
- Selena Bluntzer, of Amazing and Atopic (she was our in house photographer)–she took the really great photos: “Auvi-Q™ The Audio Visual Lifesaver”.
- Colette Martin, Author of Auvi-Q, (which is receiving rave reviews) shared our group photo too: Auvi-Q
- Susan Weissman, Author of Epi Pen®, is also a writer for the Huffington Post and here her article that was recently posted, “The Voice of Reason: (Maybe Not) For Emergency Use Only”.
- The size was much smaller and more portable than I had envisioned. It slid easily into my pants pockets (front and back without bulging). I asked Jenny, Author of Auvi-Q to do the butt check on my back pocket. God knows that I do not need any more padding in that area.
- The size was exactly the same size as my credit card and thickness of my smartphone, without the case.
- The backside of the Auvi-Q™ was angled so it fit my hand well.
- I thought the voice activation would be annoying and it was not! I actually found it comforting.
- The voice activator will also tell you if the injector has already been used. Nice touch.
- If you don’t want to follow the verbal steps, you can simply proceed with use.
- The verbal directions guide you through holding the Auvi-Q™ against your outer thigh for 5 seconds.
- The steps were to the point: remove case, voice activation begins, remove red tab on the bottom and press into thigh for 5 seconds, no need to swing.
- Directions were also printed on the device.
- The technical aspects of epinephrine were the same as the Auvi-Q, about one year’s plus shelf life, same temperature control, etc.
- What Dr. John Oppenheimer, from Auvi-Q and I talked about heading to the airport was that since it is smaller and convenient, would our kids forget it in their pocket and get washed with their jeans?
- Jenny asked about water exposure and it can handle a rainstorm but if submerged you really need to consider contamination. So, looks like the washing machine will still kill our cell phones and epinephrine auto-injectors.
- I am SUPER anxious to have my kids check it out. I arrived late in Reno last night so they will not meet the Auvi-Q™ trainer until after school today.
- It is a size they are familiar with due to their beloved i-everythings.
- We did not find out pricing and from what I understand from my researcher friends, new products like this will most likely not be lowered in price….at least not yet. The expense and funds required to bring something like to market engulfs years and millions of dollars.
- As we speak, the Auvi-Q™ is being introduced to allergists nationwide.
- We were told the release date will be sometime in the first quarter. Meaning January, February or March of this year.
- They will be sold in two packs containing a trainer.
- It will be very lively and interesting when the Auvi-Q™hits the market and our discussions begin about the pros, cons, pricing, etc.
- Make sure you visit the Auvi-Q website and check in with your physician before making any decisions or taking action….these are only my lay interpretations!
The Auvi-Q trainer is underneath this credit card
Back to inspiration; I am thrilled that choices regarding epinephrine auto-injectors are coming to fruition. Just like some of us enjoy coffee and others prefer tea, we need choices to fit our lifestyles, needs and stages of life. As my children age, each level of development calls for new methods of handling epinephrine and I like that we’ll have options soon. Choices are just good business in life.
Secondly, it was inspiring to be surrounded by those seeking solutions. In addition to staff from Auvi-Q, Dr. John Oppenheimer gave a talk about food allergies and the direction we are heading in regarding treatment and research. I could have listened to him to speak all day long. He truly had the gift of being able to communicate complex research ideas into understandable terms. He also shared important clinical information that he wants all of us embrace, I will blog about his data next week-so keep an eye out.
Lastly, it is incredibly energizing to meet up with other men and women who have committed themselves to lives well lived with food allergies and asthma. These people make change and a difference. Collectively, we all make powerful strides in the right direction, so it was very re-affirming to meet these folks face to face and enjoy their fabulous energy.
All in all, it was worth traveling across country, sitting for over five hours next to a snoring man on the plane, to meet the Auvi-Q™. I felt the folks at Sanofi truly wanted to hear our thoughts and were very committed to being part of the solution and wanted to meet our needs.
One of the hardest things I find about managing both life threatening food allergies and asthma is talking to others. I hate to be the one that might be perceived as demanding, pushing or for asking too much. What I now know, fourteen years later, is that honest, clear information presented with kindness works!..
Wow! I love the size!!! I often wonder how my son will carry his epinephrine once he’s a teenager. I love that with this he’ll be able to slip it into his back pocket unnoticed.
Did they mention why only five seconds? As compared to ten second of an EpiPen?
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Elizabeth, we did chat about the 5 seconds and they explained that the epinephrine is immediately injected and the 5 seconds is in response to human nature and folks just wanting to pull away too fast. Always, though, check the Auvi-Q’s website or with your doctor before you make any decisions or take actions. These are just my lay interpretations!
I am thrilled to hear such great things! I cannot wait until this is available- this will make my son’s life to much easier.
Will there be a protective cover? Will covers be bright enough to be easily identifiable inside of purses, backpacks and travel cases?
Ooops Bernadette, I thought I had a photo of the actual, I will down load one soon from Auvi-Q-the colors are bright and the trainer is black!
Hi, Caroline. It was a pleasure to meet you yesterday and to hear the nice things you said about our stuff. Very nice write-up of yesterday’s event. Will be posting my own later today.
Henry! I adore your site and want everyone to check it out! Please post your link in my comments and then when I return to my computer, I’ll paste it into the body of my blog post. It was simply wonderful meeting you yesterday. I truly look forward to your perspective as I respect your thoughts immensely.
http://www.asthmaallergieschildren.com/2013/01/12/auvi-q%E2%84%A2%E2%80%94thoughts-about-the-new-autoinjector/
Caroline – thank you for keeping us all current and in the loop!!! Great blog and FB posts!!
Hi Caroline,
It was so nice to meet you in person at the Auvi-Q event yesterday! I too will post my thoughts and I’ll share the link with you so we can get the word out about this soon-to-be-on-the-market product.
Keep up the great work keeping others informed about food allergies, asthma and all things related. I hope our paths cross again soon.
Joanne, It was very lovely meeting you! I do hope we see each other again. I can’t wait for your post! I just enjoy our community sharing. It is empowering.
Thanks for keeping us up to date. Great and thorough review!
Love it! My concern is, will it fall out of your pocket like a phone does?
Jenn, I think my 9 year old would loose this easily, but not 14 year old is thrilled and can’t wait! I love that we’ll have choices!!
Thanks for posting this great review Caroline! I’m so glad that this option will soon be available which has great appeal for teens, young adults and adults with allergies.
Kyle, I think you are absolutely right on! My son was thrilled to see the size but I can see my daughter loosing it if she doesn’t carry it in a pouch–which she does since she also carries an inhaler and spacer.
I think you are right Kyle! I asked if the Auvi-Q will be distributed outside the US and so far, only in the US and Canada. You’ll have to come this way Kyle to get yours!
Caroline,
I was SUPER excited to read your review of the AUVI-Q. I had heard it was in the works but to read about it from a mom who carries multiple epi-pens was wonderful. I’m always leery of the descriptions of things that I find online…I always want to learn about it from mom’s who really know! I too am anxious to hear about the case that it will come in. Perhaps it will be like our smart phones where you can walk to a booth in the middle of the mall and pick out the case of your choice. You never know, right?!?
I have little boys so I don’t fear that they would leave it in their pockets which would end up in the washing machine but I am notorious for putting my phone in my back pocket and then it falling into the toilet. I fear that I would be the delinquent one. Only time will see!
Thanks again for the review!
Lauren,
I think you have a point, the toilet could be an issue! Who ever thought we’d be talking about food allergies in our lifetime, let alone toilets? The case seemed pretty plain too! Glad you liked the blog, I’ll keep you posted when ever I learn anything else new. have a great day.
One concern I always have with our epi pens is the temperature issue. How can the Auvi Q have the same temperature control requirements, yet be okay to keep in a pocket next to a 98.6 degree body? Wouldn’t it get too warm? Our epis say to keep them below around 86 degrees on excursions and around 77 (I think?) otherwise.
Good question Gale! I never thought of that? Hum, I’ll ask this question!
How does auvi-q rate in the pain department compared to the epi pen? Epi pen says ” swing” and then inject . I have had to give it to my daughter and it is extremely painful ( looking).
Thanks!
If I understand correct, the needle is skinny too. Now, I did hear from a Mylan rep that the swing is truly not necessary, just a gentle swing to activate the auto-injector. It’s best to visit both auto-injector sites for details and/or to call their customer service departments for more details–they’ll know best.
I know I am coming into this late, but my 11 year old daughter used the Auvi-Q on Thursday during a severe allergic reaction and she said it did not hurt. As far as cost, our insurance covers some but not all of it. We pay an extra $20 per injector, but to me it is worth it. Our school staff seem more confident because it does talk you through the steps. It also tells you that it has been used afterwards.
On the downside, I was worried about people finding and recognizing the device because it is so new. School staff have been trained in both the Auvi-Q and the Epi-Pens to be safe. We also make sure that anywhere my daughter goes, where she may be without us, that the adults around her know where it is and how to use it. Our daughter has been trained on both the Auvi-Q and Epi-Pen. I worried that she would not be able to self-inject, but she did!
My husband did wash and dry one of the Auvi-Q injectors. Another downside, because it fits so nicely in your pocket. It became a practice pen for my daughter to try on an orange.
Wow Rebecca, you actually used one for a reaction. First, I’m happy that your daughter is fine. My concern too is washing one! I wash so many things that were never meant for the washing machine!
I’m glad the Auvi-Q worked so nicely. I worry quite a bit too that folks won’t recognize it, so my son does carry both.
It’s very good to hear about how your school staff feels too about voice activation.
I appreciate your sharing and you are never late to the conversation!
So it just happened here! Ugh. Folding the laundry and yep, my 8 yr old son left his Auvi-Q in his pocket. So not happy. We’ve only had it for 2 1/2 months and he has been doing so well remembering to take it out. I’m kicking myself for not checking pockets before throwing the load in this evening. What makes it worse is that our insurance doesn’t cover it, so I paid $389 for a set of 2 just a few months ago. :-(. We do love the size and convenience though. It’s so much more realistic for my son to always be able to be carrying his.
Oh NO Sally! My insurance doesn’t cover it either and this is my fear too. Are you using the $100 off coupon from Auvi-Q? If not, just visit their site for it. I believe it expires at the end of December 2014. I’m so sad for you. I know your pain well.