By Erin Kayata
Millions of Americans who have allergies have really had only one option when it comes to emergency treatment for a severe reaction: using an autoinjector like the EpiPen.
But now there’s an alternative. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved a new nasal spray that releases epinephrine, the medication used to stop reactions, into the nose instead of having it injected via needle.
The spray, sold under the brand name neffy, will address some of the main concerns people have with the EpiPen, which include the cost, the delivery method, and the size, Northeastern experts say.
“There’s a significant percentage of the population that has some form of allergy,” says Neil Maniar, director of the master of public health program and professor of the practice at Northeastern University. “Up until now, in terms of delivering a quick shot of epinephrine, the EpiPen was the only option. Over the last several years, the cost of the EpiPen spiked. It’s also an injection. … Some people have very strong feelings and fears around that. … (The nasal spray) is a game changer. It’s a really important step from a public health perspective to have that alternative that hopefully can be more readily available and used with greater ease.”
