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Panel hears bill to let colleges use intranasal epinephrine alongside auto‑injectors
Summary
HS1 for HB446 would allow Delaware colleges to stock and administer FDA‑approved intranasal epinephrine in addition to auto‑injectors, expand staff training, and remove an annual DPH reporting requirement; medical advocates testified in support.
Senator Sekoli presented HS1 for House Bill 446, an update to Delaware’s anaphylaxis response laws for institutions of higher education. The substitute would allow colleges and universities to obtain, store and permit trained staff to administer intranasal epinephrine sprays in emergency anaphylaxis situations alongside existing epinephrine auto‑injectors, and would update training requirements. The substitute also removes a now‑outdated annual report requirement to the General Assembly while preserving incident reporting and oversight mechanisms.
Sydney Greenberger, advocacy and policy coordinator at the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, testified virtually in support, citing that roughly 5.8% of U.S. children have food allergies and stressing that epinephrine is the only effective treatment for anaphylaxis. Greenberger argued that when needle‑free options are FDA‑approved, institutions should be able to choose appropriate delivery systems to reduce delay in administration.
Committee members asked no substantive follow‑up questions during the hearing and the sponsor framed the substitute as a public‑health update to match medical innovation. No committee vote on HB446 was taken during the session.
