EpiPen use in children with food allergies

Allen, Clare W; Campbell, Dianne E; Kemp, Andrew S

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2007.tb01402.x

Topics

To the Editor: The Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme records 35 657 prescriptions (for either one or two devices) for EpiPen autoinjectors (CSL Limited, Melbourne, VIC), the self-injectable form of adrenaline, in 2006. This is a 650% increase on the 4758 prescriptions for EpiPens in 1998. The increase is much greater than the increase in the rate of food allergy.

1 Department of Allergy, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, NSW.
2 Discipline of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW.

Correspondence: andrewk5@chw.edu.au

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