Pfizer Canada contributes EpiPen® (epinephrine) Auto-Injectors to Hamilton pilot project
City's pilot project to improve public health safety is first of its kind in Canada
TORONTO, Sept. 8, 2014 /CNW/ - Pfizer Canada today announced its participation in an unprecedented pilot project in Canada that could eventually make EpiPen® and EpiPen® Jr. (epinephrine) Auto-Injectors available to every restaurant and food court in Hamilton, Ontario.
As part of a ground-breaking municipal project involving Hamilton city council, local health officials and McMaster University, Pfizer is contributing by donating the EpiPen® auto-injectors to Hamilton's downtown Jackson Square mall as a precaution for restaurant customers who might need immediate assistance during an emergency treatment of anaphylactic reactions related to food allergies.
"This is a very exciting and important new health safety initiative and Pfizer is proud to have the opportunity to partner with the city of Hamilton to make EpiPen® and EpiPen® Jr. easily and quickly accessible to people who are visiting the mall's restaurants and food court every day," said Allen Van der Wee, General Manager, Global Established Pharma Business, at Pfizer Canada.
The one-year pilot project was initiated by the Rotary Club of Anacaster and Hamilton City Councillor, Lloyd Ferguson, in the wake of public concerns raised following the death of a 12-year-old girl in a Burlington, Ontario food court last year. Jackson Square security staff will now begin wearing EpiPen® Auto-Injectors on their belts.
Pfizer had donated 12 adult and junior versions of its EpiPen® auto-injectors to the project and Hamilton City Council has agreed to dedicate $82,000 to the pilot project, part of which will go to Anaphylaxis Canada to train local security staff on the proper use of EpiPen® while the other part will support the McMaster University research portion.
"We hope this pilot project comes as very positive news to local residents and we are very excited to see it prove successful," said Hamilton area, Ancaster AM Rotarians and project contributors, Marty Schure and Dr. Frank Stechey. "Hamilton is the first municipality in Canada to launch a project of this kind and we hope to gain useful insights that will help to improve health safety in public places such as restaurants and food operations in malls. We are pleased to be working with the City of Hamilton, McMaster University, Anaphylaxis Canada and First Real Properties on this important initiative."
"Ultimately, the goal is to see this innovative project implemented city-wide, in order to improve health safety for people who live with potentially life-threatening allergies and who could face an emergency situation requiring an immediate response."
McMaster University will review results of the project to assess key factors such as usage and consumer confidence and share their findings with City officials to make informed decisions on the initiative.
Food allergies are recognized as a growing public health issue.i According to Health Canada, food allergies affect as many as 5-6 per cent of young children and 3-4 per cent of adults in Canada.ii Anaphylaxis Canada estimates that one in two Canadians know someone with a serious food allergy.i For Step-By-Step Instructions On How To Use Your EpiPen® Auto-Injector, visit the EpiPen® Canada YouTube Page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf_JC-iAMUhHvvD37bBOQiQ
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About Pfizer Canada
It is the Canadian operation of Pfizer Inc., one of the world's leading biopharmaceutical companies. The company is one of the largest contributors to health research in Canada. Pfizer's diversified health care portfolio includes biologic and small molecule medicines and vaccines for humans, and many of the world's best known consumer products. To learn more about Pfizer Canada, visit pfizer.ca or you can follow us on Twitter (twitter.com/PfizerCA) or Facebook (facebook.com/Pfizer.Canada).
About EpiPen
EpiPen and EpiPen Jr (0.3 and 0.15 mg epinephrine) Auto-injectors ("EpiPen") are indicated for the emergency treatment of anaphylactic reactions in patients who are determined to be at increased risk for anaphylaxis, including individuals with a history of anaphylactic reactions. The EpiPen Auto-Injector is a disposable, pre-filled automatic injection device that administers epinephrine in the event of a severe allergic reaction. After using EpiPen, you must seek immediate medical attention or go to the emergency room. For the next 48 hours, you must stay close to a healthcare facility or be able to call 9-1-1. For more information about EpiPen, please visit www.epipen.ca.
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i Anaphylaxis Canada, 2012. Retrieved Sept. 3, 2014. Available at: http://www.anaphylaxis.ca/en/i_want/anaphylaxis101/key_facts.html
ii Health Canada. Retrieved Sept. 3, 2014. Available at http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/med/allerg-eng.php
SOURCE Pfizer Canada Inc.
Image with caption: "EpiPen® and EpiPen® Jr (epinephrine) Auto-Injectors (CNW Group/Pfizer Canada Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140908_C8652_PHOTO_EN_42685.jpg
Image with caption: "EpiPen(R) (epinephrine) Auto-Injector (CNW Group/Pfizer Canada Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140908_C8652_PHOTO_EN_42661.jpg
Image with caption: "EpiPenR Jr (epinephrine) Auto-Injector (CNW Group/Pfizer Canada Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140908_C8652_PHOTO_EN_42662.jpg
PDF available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/media/2014/09/08/20140908_C8652_DOC_EN_42687.pdf
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