Epinephrine in Credit Card Sized Case

It's here!!!! I've had my eye on this new product for awhile and finally FDA approval has been announced. Auvi-Q™ offers people who carry epinephrine a new device style. This compact epinephrine auto-injector is credit card sized and the thickness of a smartphone. It easily fits into a pocket (great for boys!) or small purse.

A cool feature I wasn't expecting is that this new device offers audio cues.

Yup, it talks to you!

When the device is pulled from the carrying case, a calm female voice walks the user through all the steps of the injection process. What a great help for babysitters, teachers, grandparents and others who may be unfamiliar with (and nervous about) using an auto-injector for anaphylaxis.

Oh, and the injector only stays in the outer thigh for five seconds (which the calm voice will count down calmly), rather than 10 seconds like the traditional EpiPen. Five seconds may not seem like much of a difference, but every second feels like forever when you're in the midst of an anphylactic reaction.

I'll be checking with my insurance company to see if they cover the new device and with my pharmacy to see if they carry it. Let me know if you're able to get it.

Read all about Sanofi's release of Auvi-Q (and check out a demo) here.

More Options Needed in Epi Devices

I've been watching Intelliject for a year and a half. Intelliject has been working on an epinephrine injector that is "the height and width of a credit card and the thickness of a small cell phone". This week the FDA gave tentative approval for this product. The device can not be marketed in the U.S. until the FDA gives final approval. With litigation against Intelliject, that final approval may remain elusive.

Stay tuned...again. I'm looking forward to something more manageable for my middle-schooler to carry on his person. Sometimes the barrel-shaped EpiPen works for us, but in other situations this credit card shaped device may work better.

I want options!