Many people suffer from some sort of allergies. Symptoms range from a simple runny nose to life-threatening swelling of airways. For those with more serious allergies, an EpiPen is usually prescribed in case of a severe allergic reaction.
When severe allergic reactions occur, the patient must receive medical treatment immediately. If they don’t, it will only be a few minutes before they pass out from the inability to breathe. A few minutes after that permanent brain damage will begin, followed by death. Usually when reactions happens, the only way to help the patient is to give them epinepherine. For a quick bodily response, this drug must be injected. The most common way to administer epinepherine is through an EpiPen. However, using an EpiPen is not as intuitive as most people would think. EpiPens are shaped like fat markers, and to use them you take the cap off of one end, then press the other end into the thigh of the patient. This is different from what you would expect because it seems like the needle would come out the same end that had the cap on it. Because of this, it is easy for a lay caregiver to press the wrong end of the EpiPen into the patient’s leg, and even stab themselves with the needle if they had their thumb on top of the pen.
Unless you carry an EpiPen, are close to someone with severe allergies, or you have been trained in a first aid class, you probably wouldn’t know how to use an EpiPen correctly. In an emergency it can even be difficult for a trained caregiver to remember exactly how to use an EpiPen due to the intensity of the situation. Administering EpiPens is also difficult to practice because you can’t actually do it unless it is a real emergency.
Since few people will be able to use an EpiPen correctly and quickly in a dire situation, two brothers came up with a solution to this problem. Evan and Eric Edwards invented a device called Auvi-Q, which is essentially an EpiPen that gives vocal instructions. It is different from an EpiPen in that it is a small, rectangular device, much like a cell phone. It fits nicely into pockets and bags. When you pull off the bottom cap, a voice will give you instructions for how to continue using Auvi-Q. Pull the down on the bottom, press it against the patient’s leg, hold for a full five seconds, and remove the device. There is a very small chance of using this incorrectly. The voice counts out five seconds to ensure the patient receives the full dose of epinepherine. When the five seconds are up, the needle retracts automatically so no one will be accidentally pricked. After administering Auvi-Q, professional medical attention should be sought immediately.
Auvi-Q has already saved lives, and will likely save thousands more in the future. It’s safer and easier to use than an EpiPen, therefore untrained bystanders will be able to help a suffocating victim of severe allergies. Hopefully it is never necessary, but Auvi-Q may end up saving your or a loved one’s life someday.
The Fish Bowl 