EpiPen bill protects medical professionals

Legislation approved this week in the Senate Judiciary Committee would protect law enforcement officers and medical professionals from liability when they use EpiPens in emergencies.

To encourage the participation of medical professionals in the life-saving Annie LeGere Law and place epinephrine auto-injectors (EpiPens) in the hands of law enforcement, Senate Bill 2226 increases liability protection for participating health providers. The bill received unanimous support from the Senate Judiciary Committee on Feb. 6.

The bill stipulates that when a law enforcement officer administers an EpiPen, a physicians or physician’s assistant who provides a standing order for prescribing the EpiPen, will incur no civil or professional liability. The bill is followup legislation to the Annie LeGere Law and provides that a physician licensed under the act may not be subject to discipline for providing a standing order or prescription for an EpiPen to law enforcement.

The Annie LeGere Law, effective as of January 2017, allows for Illinois police officers to carry and administer EpiPens on duty as an emergency measure to reverse life-threatening allergic reactions following proper training and procedural requirements. The legislation was inspired by Elmhurst’s own Annie LeGere, a 13-year-old who passed away from a fatal allergic reaction that could have been prevented by epinephrine. 

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