Two adrenalin injectors are now available and this allows the patients a choice, but GPs need to be familiar with both devices. RN Maria Said, the CEO of Allergy and Anaphylaxis Australia, discusses the devices and issues concerning the prescription and use of adrenaline injectors. This is a three-part article.

This is part two of a three part series.
Read part one
Read part three

Practice points

• The doctor and the patient to make a decision together on what device best suits that person’s needs.
• We must educate parents, carers, babysitters, grandparents, school teachers, childcare staff. People in workplaces who are at risk of anaphylaxis should have a couple of colleagues that know how to recognise symptoms and how to use the emergency medication.
• Any health professional could certainly speak with the distributors of both devices and they can call Allergy and Anaphylaxis Australia.
• People is to ask about shelf-life when they purchase these devices and try to get the longest shelf-life that they can.
• It’s not okay for someone to have one Epipen® and one Anapen. They have got to have the same device, so that they focus in an emergency situation and they don’t have to think about which device they have got.
• The devices themselves have actually got the steps for administration on the actual device.
• GPs should have an Epipen® trainer and an Anapen® trainer to show the patients and these can usually be accessed through those companies.