We are working on a whole bunch of things these days, and we have a very hard, yet busy and exciting few months ahead of us. There are several things that we will be sharing in future that we as Hannah Helps are doing, but for now we will focus on something pretty exciting for everyone. If you are interested in learning more about anaphylaxis, the life-threatening part of allergies, and the use of an Epinephrine Delivery System (EDS) so you can help save lives, then this is the post for you!
In past posts, we have mentioned FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education) as being one of the leaders in raising awareness of food allergies. They are the organization behind foodallergy.org which is a great resource for everyone to follow regarding all things food allergy. But one specific resource that they now offer is an online training course and certification in “Recognizing & Responding to Anaphylaxis” as part of their “Save a Life” program. This FREE course takes about an hour. There is a knowledge test at the end, then you can download your certificate. During this hour they explain the signs of an anaphylactic reaction, the differences between “major and minor” anaphylactic reactions, what to do if you encounter someone having a reaction, and finally how to use a EDS. I am using the term EDS because there are multiple different ways that epinephrine can be administered. This course covers the two most common ones which are auto injectors, such as “EpiPens” which use a needle, and it also covers a newer up-and-coming nasal spray device called Neffy. Being a nasal spray, this is needleless. Being needleless can take some of the fear out of administering it, it can have a longer shelf life, and it can be cheaper to produce. Our new friend in the war on anaphylaxis, Dr. Markman, says that soon a dissolvable film version should be coming out too. It would be similar to those breath strips that came out a few years ago where it just looks like a small piece of clear tape that dissolves immediately in the mouth and is rapidly absorbed.
So, after completing this FREE course and receiving your certificate, anyone can at least have a good idea of what they need to do if they encounter someone suffering an anaphylactic reaction. BUT if that is not good enough, “BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE!” If you want to do more than just “know” what to look for and what to do, you may be able to get one of these EDS for “your own personal use” and use it to be a hero and to save lives. “How can this amazing offer be true” you may (or may not) be asking. The answer is Dillon’s Law. Dillon Mueller died in 2014 at the age of 18 in Wisconsin after being stung by a bee. Epinephrine was not available to him in time, and he succumbed to his anaphylactic reaction. (We will be meeting his parents next week) Several states including Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Indiana have enacted versions of Dillon’s Law and there may be similar laws in other states too. (Illinois passed their version recently and it will go into effect on January 1, 2026) So then, what does Dillon’s Law mean in states like Wisconsin? It means that we can: 1. get certified to use an EDS by completing a training course such as the FARE: Save a Life course or an approved “hands on” course (that we will likely be part of offering at some point); 2. we can legally use that certificate from the course, as a patient would a prescription, to be able to get our own “personal use” EDS through a pharmacy and covered by our own personal insurance as any other prescription would be covered (which could include your standard prescription copay); 3. anyone who has done this can use the device on a person believed to be suffering an anaphylactic reaction without fear of retribution because you are acting as a “Good Samaritan” and this law insures your protection. Now, there you have it. You can be more than just another pretty face. You can be a good looking, educated, prepared, life-saving hero to someone who may suffer an anaphylactic reaction.
To take the FARE “Save a life: Recognizing & Responding to Anaphylaxis” click on the link at the bottom of this page. After watching the introduction, it did not automatically go to the next section about Neffy. I had to click on that video in the menu to the left of the video, then the rest flowed together by clicking the yellow “Next” box that appeared on the screen. I took the course and got my certificate.
IF YOU ARE IN WISCONSIN and you would like to get an EDS for your own “personal use” and covered by your insurance, after completing the FARE training and receiving your certificate, the easiest way would be to contact the Hy-Vee pharmacy in Ashwaubenon. Although every pharmacy is legally allowed to do this in the state, most of them are not familiar with Dillon’s Law and it will not be worth the hassle to try to explain it to them and then wait for them to figure it out. The larger pharmacies are not too interested in doing this type of thing because they pretty much don’t mess with state-by-state “local” laws. The Ashwaubenon Hy-Vee pharmacy is familiar with this law and is prepared to help. They will have the EDS mailed directly to your house, so don’t worry about having to pick it up in person. There are two steps in contacting them: 1. you will need to email them a copy of your certificate from FARE at 1025pharmacydept@hy-vee.com 2. Call them at 920-305-7011 and tell them what you are doing. Tell them that this is for “personal use” under Dillon’s Law. They will ask for your name, address, birthdate, etc. normal pharmacy stuff, then they will verify that they received your certificate by email, and they will get the EDS in the mail and on its way to you.
We are blessed
UPDATE: They came today, by mail, covered by my insurance. It worked for me.
FARE “Save a life: Recognizing & Responding to Anaphylaxis 2025-26” Training course
Dillon’s Law in Wisconsin
Hannah Helps Blog 