Pharmacy and Wellness Review
Abstract
Between 1.6 and 5.1% of the United States population have experienced anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction.1 Anaphylaxis occurs when someone is exposed to an allergen, most commonly foods, medications, and insect venom. Epinephrine is the first-line agent for anaphylaxis treatment, and it is critical to administer this medication immediately after the onset of anaphylactic symptoms to prevent worsening that could lead to death. Epinephrine, more commonly known as EpiPen® or Auvi-Q®, has historically only been available as an intramuscular (IM) injection. Many people are afraid, anxious, or uneducated on how to properly give someone an IM injection, causing anaphylaxis treatment with epinephrine to be delayed. In fact, out of the estimated 40 million Americans with type one severe allergies, only 3.2 million had a prescription for an epinephrine autoinjector device in the year 2023.2 Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved neffy®, an intranasal (IN) formulation of epinephrine, for anaphylaxis treatment. This new formulation has many advantages that will ultimately lead to better outcomes for people experiencing anaphylaxis.
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