The Legislative Assembly of Alberta has proposed a new bill called Bill 201: The Protection of Students with Life-Threatening Allergies Act.
Bill 201 would require all publicly-funded school boards in Alberta to establish and maintain:
- An anaphylaxis policy that includes strategies to reduce the risk for students
- A communication plan for the school community
- Mandatory training for school staff
- Individual plans for identified at-risk students
- The requirement for stock epinephrine (an auto-injector not prescribed to a specific individual)
These measures will help provide greater protection for these students and create safer school environments.
This new bill is modelled after Sabrina’s Law, which was enacted in 2006 in Ontario. However, the proposed bill in Alberta is making one significant addition by mandating stock epinephrine as a requirement for schools, which would make it the first law of its kind in Canada for publicly-funded schools. Given that epinephrine is the first-line treatment for anaphylaxis, and it’s required to be administered at the first sign of a serious allergic reaction, providing schools with greater access to this life-saving medication is a huge step forward.
How can you help make sure this bill passes?
- Step 1: Contact your local MLA (either by phone or email) and tell them why Bill 201 is important to you and your family and how this bill will help provide additional safety measures in your schools. Find your local MLA.
- Step 2: Ask your local MLA to support this important new legislation during the second reading of the bill on Monday June 17, 2019.
- Step 3: Please share with others to amplify this message and get greater support.
Learn more about this bill from this article in The Edmonton Journal.