Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
A needle-less alternative to EpiPen has FDA approval. Will doctors prescribe it?
https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/08/23/nx-s1-5086219/needle-less-alternative-epipen-fda-approvalA needle-less alternative to EpiPen has FDA approval. Will doctors prescribe it?
AUGUST 23, 2024 5:00 AM ET
By Suz Redfearn
A potentially ground-breaking nose-spray version of the drug epinephrine will soon hit the market — an alternative to auto-injectors like EpiPen for people having serious allergic reactions. The drug was approved this month by the FDA for use in adults and older children.
But some allergists say they’re not in a hurry to prescribe it.
Although the new needle-less option, called neffy, has the potential to provide a cheaper, less painful, and more convenient option than the EpiPen, experts say, studies have not yet been done on people who are in the throes of life-threatening allergic reactions, known as anaphylaxis. That raises concerns about whether the drug is effective enough to trust for people with serious allergies.
[...]
Epinephrine is the only life-saving treatment for anaphylaxis and has previously only been available to patients as an injection. Use of epinephrine for the treatment of severe allergic reactions has been in needle-based form since the FDA approved it in 1939. EpiPen, which is the most well-known brand of auto-injector that a person can use on their own, has been around since the 1970s. A generic version became available in 2018.
[...]
AUGUST 23, 2024 5:00 AM ET
By Suz Redfearn
A potentially ground-breaking nose-spray version of the drug epinephrine will soon hit the market — an alternative to auto-injectors like EpiPen for people having serious allergic reactions. The drug was approved this month by the FDA for use in adults and older children.
But some allergists say they’re not in a hurry to prescribe it.
Although the new needle-less option, called neffy, has the potential to provide a cheaper, less painful, and more convenient option than the EpiPen, experts say, studies have not yet been done on people who are in the throes of life-threatening allergic reactions, known as anaphylaxis. That raises concerns about whether the drug is effective enough to trust for people with serious allergies.
[...]
Epinephrine is the only life-saving treatment for anaphylaxis and has previously only been available to patients as an injection. Use of epinephrine for the treatment of severe allergic reactions has been in needle-based form since the FDA approved it in 1939. EpiPen, which is the most well-known brand of auto-injector that a person can use on their own, has been around since the 1970s. A generic version became available in 2018.
[...]