I confess to anxiously awaiting a competitor for the EpiPen® epinephrine auto-injector. I’m a full believer and supporter of good old fashioned healthy competition. It keeps everyone on their toes. I was very please when Auvi-Q® hit the scene mostly since it brought options for my super skinny teenage boy who looked odd with things poking from his pockets. The small and compact Auvi-Q was welcome even though I have to re-train his friends. At school he carries his EpiPen® epinephrine auto-injector since the staff is most comfortable with the EpiPen® epinephrine auto-injector and I’m giving them that option. A third epinephrine auto-injector, the Adrenaclick® will hit the market sometime this month. This recent article, “Amedra Pharmaceuticals re-launches single-dose epinephrine auto-injector, Adrenaclick®” explained Adrenaclick®’s return.
image courtesy of EpiPen® epinephrine auto-injector.
Wearing my food allergy mommy hat I am worried that friends and family will be confused during an emergency–the LAST THING ON THE PLANET THAT I WANT. If folks are trained on one device and my child produces something different, then could there be panic? Were they Auvi-Q®or EpiPen® epinephrine auto-injector. trained? OR, have they met the re-released device: the Adrenaclick®?
Switching hats to my advocacy Stock Epinephrine in Nevada Schools chapeau, I am very concerned for school nurses and staff being completely confused! They already have to juggle seriously ill children daily and now asking them to learn THREE devices and to be prepared during an emergency to calmly remember how to the epinephrine device could be a stretch. Also, in Nevada, the device of choice for year one of our new legislation will be the EpiPen® epinephrine auto-injector thanks to Mylan’s EpiPens4 Schools program.
I’m assuming the immediate solution is to keep emphasis on the Emergency Action Plans and following instructions? This means that even though my son has stopped carrying a backpack with this emergency action in it, we are going to need to rethink our policy. I know the epinephrine auto-injectors have instructions on them, but will people responding be able, during a crisis to follow the directions? My mind is a tad overwhelmed at this moment to be honest. All I know is that during emergency situations we need to keep things simple, clear and easy. I’m not sure how I full feel about three on the market with rumors that a generic forth is on its way too? I’m trying to get my head around my daughter’s 504 plan and working with my school district to help secure three epinephrine auto-injector trainings.
This Food Allergy Action Plan was downloaded from the FARE website and it shows how to use the three types of epinephrine auto-injectors
What do you think of having three options: EpiPen®, Auvi-Q® and the Adrenaclick® epinephrine auto-injectors?
p.s. As soon as I uncover more details I will share regarding the Adrenaclick®, but I do see one MAJOR advantage of this device: it can be purchased in a single or double pack–UPDATE: I’m not so sure now about the single pack–the press release does not state this and their website is now down for me to re-confirm?!?
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!..
I too would be concerned that there may be confusion BUT I think the best thing to do right now is to focus on the positive- that there are more options for those who need it. Sadly, many school staff are still untrained but I also know that when I have approached them with newer information, they are always eager to learn. Step one- you and your family have to stay informed. Step two- help to educate others. This has always been the case and should not change. The unknown can be very scary but that does not mean that it’s a bad thing.
Nutrimom,
You are sooo right. I really appreciate your sharing here!!
Your steps are valuable as well. No matter, we are still the masters of our ships and we need to educate everyone near and dear to our worlds.
I wish I could get back onto that site to double check that single pack concept since the press release did not include it!
I feel the same way, Caroline – conflicted. I am glad there’s a new option that just might be more economical for those who need a low-cost option, but worried about the potential for confusion, especially given that I don’t see any major gain here, in functionality. It’s basically an old dog with no new tricks…perhaps even less tricks, since it doesn’t have the built-in second dose, like the Twinject…If this device isn’t priced well below the EpiPen and Auvi-Q, I will seriously wonder what it’s place is, in the market…
As for training, this goes back to one of the reasons why I simply LOVE the Auvi-Q. It’s a self-training device! You don’t need to worry about whom had been trained on what…If anyone (granted, anyone that speaks English), anywhere, picks up the Auvi-Q, they can follow the voice prompts.
It does give me conflicting feelings too. I we do need to stay positive like Nutrimom stated, but realistic. A nurse from the UK tweeted out his mantra: cap off and jab!
Maybe that will be our pathway?
I’m all for options, but confusion would be a bad thing during an anaphylactic emergency. You don’t have time to pour over directions and wonder if you’re doing it right – you need to just get it right. If they are all basically the same to use, that’s one thing, but it looks like they are not…and that could be a problem.
I’m sure there will be advantages and disadvantages to all of them. For the EpiPen, most people know how to use that, and probably most people are comfy with this one simply because it’s been around so long. For the Auvi-Q, it has voice prompts which would be so very helpful in an emergency and walks you through what to do, but not as many are familiar with it and people tend to panic with they are faced with something new no matter how easy it is to use. As to the Adrenaclick and the suspected generic coming out? Well, time will tell with those.
All in all, I’m just glad they are getting the life-saving medications out there and making them more accessible! I just wish the means to administer them aren’t so vast and varied, causing the potential for confusion.
Confusion and lack of understanding of the variations can be a problem. I haven’t read much on the adrenaclick. I have flagged this post and will come back and read it and comment more.
Wow, it’s good, but kind of scary that there is a selection of epinephrine injectors now – it brings the price down (hopefully!) and offers more options, but that means the market is becoming big enough for competition. Love that you are covering these Caroline.
Do you have an email update for your site beyond RSS? I can’t seem to find it and am missing too many of your posts!
Part of the problem is that the injectors have to be significantly different in order to not get caught up in patent infringement and that means we have to learn to use different ones which complicates health care in emergency settings. My epi-pens were hideously expensive and I hope this means prices will go down, but I’m not sure if that will happen. It just confirms to me that our systems are messed up and I hope that someday it can change.
Hi Laurie,
You are right about the system being messed up! What a problem! I understand the patent issue, but then again we are speaking directly to emergency response.
It will be interesting to see how it all unfolds.
I’ve been safe from my allergen (latex) for many years & not carrying an injector since mine expired last year but knew I should replace it. When I opened my new Epi Pen today I was shocked at the size and weight of them. My last one was smaller than the trainers. That’s nuts. I’m a (very) small woman and can’t attach that mass to my body increasing the risk I won’t have it when I need it. That’s why I need to see more choices: to find one that’s reasonable to have with me
Kate, My son is a very small and slender 15 year old and carrying two EpiPens looks odd, there is just no way to make those look natural on him. Therefore he likes the Auvi-Q since it does fit in his pocket. Choices make me happy. Did you know about the Zero Co-pay for both the EpiPen and Auvi-Q? Just visit their websites and you’ll find the cards!
Here we are at the start of the school year of 2015, a couple of years after this thread started. What has become a HUGE issue is the cost of both the Epi-pen and Aqui-Q. Both now have a cash price of $575 or so for ONE two pack. Even with the wonderful “$0 co-pay” cards (that actually only take $100 off, not take it to $0), my INSURED cost WITH the coupon is still $367. Competition between the two makers of these pens has been negated in this instance. Between government regulations and insurance company mandates, costs for these lifesaving devices have become outrageous.
Melissa I’m in your same boat. The 0$ copay up to $100 off only brought ours down to $432 with it only being February and not meeting the deductible. I understand the concern of education however I can’t afford this. And fall into the category of making too much to qualify for other assistance and too little to afford such high medicine costs. My pharmacy insurance said to call around because some local pharmacy’s charge less. I did find the adreniclck generic for 138 at Walmart when everywhere else was 300-500. How is this allowed to happen? where do we go from here to say this is not ok?
We’ve been using the Adrenaclick for over a year and have unfortunately had to use it a few times. It’s very easy and it’s quite a bit less expensive. I don’t think most people will be confused.
Depending on the age of your child, if they know how to prepare the epi they can then have the adult stick them. The adrenaclick you take off two blue plastic coverings and stick.