Ward 5 Coun. Matthew Scott and Ward 3’s Angela Caputo want EpiPen auto-injectors to be as easily accessible as naloxone or automated external defibrillators

Two Sault councillors will suggest next week that epinephrine auto-injectors be available at the Ronald A. Irwin Civic Centre, the fire and police departments and every other public municipal facility.

Ward 5 Coun. Matthew Scott and his Ward 3 counterpart Angela Caputo will ask city council to direct staff to prepare a report on the feasibility and cost of improving public access to EpiPens.

Auto-injectors are used to treat allergic emergencies (anaphylaxis), which can be fatal and can occur within minutes.

The manufacturer recommends that patients always carry two EpiPens because a single dose isn’t always enough to manage a serious reaction.

Scott and Caputo will suggest that not all patients carry two EpiPens.

They want epinephrine injectors to be as easily accessible as naloxone or automated external defibrillators (AEDs).

Monday’s city council meeting will be live-streamed on SooToday starting at 5 p.m.

The following is the full text of the Scott-Caputo resolution:

Accessibility of epinephrine auto-injectors

Whereas severe allergic reactions known as anaphylaxis are a significant public health concern, with more than three million Canadians, or just over seven per cent of the population, affected by food allergies; and

Whereas anaphylaxis can be triggered by factors common in municipal spaces beyond food, including environmental causes such as insect stings and bites and exercise-induced anaphylaxis; and

Whereas a survey by Food Allergy Canada indicates that while many Canadians report food allergies, not all individuals have consistent medical follow-up or carry their prescribed epinephrine auto-injectors at all times; and

Whereas up to 15 per cent of anaphylaxis cases result in a biphasic response, where symptoms return after initially resolving, often requiring a second dose of epinephrine within five to 10 minutes meaning a single personal device carried by an individual may be insufficient to save their life; and

Whereas the tragic death of 14-year-old Malakai Flores in British Columbia has highlighted the critical gap in public safety regarding allergy readiness and has led to his family advocating for “Malakai’s Bill” which requests municipalities and governments to treat epinephrine with the same accessibility standards as Narcan and Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs); and

Whereas the City of Sault Ste. Marie is committed to the health and safety of all residents and visitors utilizing its public facilities;

Now therefore be it resolved that requests staff to prepare a report regarding the feasibility, cost, and implementation plan for equipping all public city facilities with stock epinephrine auto-injectors (EpiPens).