Comment from Richard Goodman
Richard GoodmanSupportAcademic
Summary: A retired professor and Fellow of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology argues that the policy should be strengthened to ensure safety for passengers with food allergies. The commenter requests that the rule require airlines to carry non-expired epinephrine, provide at least two doses, and ensure that flight crews are properly trained in administration.
I am a Fellow in the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. And I work on identifying allergenic proteins. We run the AllergenOnline.org database for food safety, for GMOs and Novel Foods. While I am now a retired Professor Emeritus at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, I have been involved in allergy for decades. Food Anaphylaxis is an incredibly important safety issue for many. Sometimes people do not have their epipen or other epinephrine containers with them. Or they may be in their luggage. Airlines MUST have epinephrine on board, and trained safety crew. Two doses are sometimes needed to treat anaphylaxis. If injected, it must be in the muscle, not fat. Not subcutaenous, There are other pharmaceutical products now. An inhalation one and maybe under the tongue. The dose for very young children is lower, but for young children through adults...it is standard. Their have been some fatalities on airplanes when no epinephrine is available. Or it is not administered. PLEASE correct this by requiring doses that are not expired and that include two possible doses. And require training of airline crew.