FAA Reauthorization Act may upgrade airplane medical kits for anaphylaxis

Key takeaways:

• The bill includes a clause that the FAA must reconsider medications and protocol for treatment of anaphylaxis on board airplanes.
• The FAA has 2 years to develop a new set of rules.

The Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2024 includes a call for updated rules on airplane medical kits and staff training in regard to anaphylaxis-related emergencies.

The bill, also known as H.R. 3935, or the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act, was sponsored by Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) and includes many updates on aviation safety, advancing technology and innovation as well as growing an aviation safety workforce, among other things.

But allergy advocacy organizations such as Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), along with U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), emphasized the urgent need of including epinephrine autoinjectors in airplane medical kits as an important clause of the bill.

“It’s a huge step forward for the food allergy community, whose greatest fear is the fear of suffering anaphylaxis while on a trip,” Jason Linde, MA, senior vice president of advocacy for FARE, told Healio. “Right now, emergency medical kits require a doctor on board to provide lifesaving medicine, and we don't believe that’s the way 33 million Americans should be treated.”

Jason Linde

Section 368 of the bill cites that the FAA will have 2 years to “issue a notice of proposed rulemaking regarding first aid and emergency medical kit equipment and training required for flight crewmembers.”

This includes the consideration of the benefits and costs of new medications or equipment in medical kits to address instances of anaphylaxis, specifically ones that can be administered by the flight crew without the need for a medical professional.

Linde said that FARE has discussed anaphylaxis training with the flight attendants’ union and that its members have been supportive.

“But a lot of times, flight attendants are not trained in how to use an epinephrine autoinjector,” he said. “We are hopeful that this new proposal will provide them with the training for them to administer it. It’s really easy. It can be learned in less than 20 minutes.”

While these rules are not yet finalized, allergy advocates and lawmakers will now have to push for their enactment, Linde continued.

“I just want to make sure people realize that it’s now our job to hold the FAA accountable and that within 2 years we will speak with a loud voice to ensure that the easiest epinephrine delivery devices are in those emergency medical kits,” Linde said. “That’s now on all of us to ensure and work towards that.”

The bill was signed into law on May 16 by President Joe Biden following support from both the U.S. Senate in an 88-4 vote and the House of Representatives in a vote of 387-26.

References:

• H.R. 3935 - Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act. https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/3935/text#toc-HECB35AAD3267484D8BF158678C05FF97. Published June 9, 2023. Accessed June 10, 2024
• FARE thanks congress and advocates for making airlines safer. https://www.foodallergy.org/media-room/fare-thanks-congress-and-advocates-making-airlines-safer. Published May 15, 2024. Accessed June 10, 2024.