Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer is calling on the FAA to lift a long term exemption to mandate life-saving EpiPens are carried on all flights.
Food allergies and the fear of going into anaphylactic shock for fliers with allergies has been constantly in the news in recent years, with some being taken off flights due to lack of options.
"We all know that millions of Americans — over 30 million — have food allergies, and if you go into anaphylactic shock, the solution is an EpiPen. Now if you’re walking down the street, someone might have one. An ambulance or doctor is quite nearby. If you’re on the plane and there is no EpiPen, it could be fatal," Schumer said.
Airlines secured a four-year FAA exemption from carrying EpiPens which is due to expire next year.
Schumer was joined by Dr. Mikhail Varshavski who hit the headlines recently after he used a syringe to administer a dose of epinephrine to an allergic passenger aboard a Delta flight.
Varshavski said flight attendants can easily be trained to use EpiPens in an emergency.
