Michigan may require all schools to have EpiPens

Bills moving forward in house

LANSING, Mich. – Moms whose kids have severe food allergies are spurring lawmakers to consider stocking every public school in Michigan with special injectors to treat life-threatening allergic reactions.

   Bills moving forward in the state House require schools to have two epinephrine devices, or EpiPens, and to train some employees to administer the medicine.

   Many children with known severe allergies already bring EpiPens to school. But supporters of the legislation say a quarter of anaphylactic shock incidents occur among students unaware that they have an allergy.

   Kids can die without a dose of epinephrine to stop swelling in the throat or tongue caused by reaction to foods such as peanuts or from bee stings.

   The legislation is pending before the full House after winning approval in a committee last week.