Imagine your child eating something, or being stung by a wasp or a wasp, and suddenly developing a rash all over their body and having difficulty breathing. The life-saving medicine in such a situation is an epinephrine injection. But in that emergency, the fear of giving an injection with trembling hands... only those who have experienced it know it. In fact, a study found that 3 out of 4 children who developed a severe allergic reaction were not given this injection by their parents. The main reason for this is the fear of needles. But now it seems that it is time to say goodbye to that fear.
What is this new needle-free medicine?
Simply put, this is a needle-free nasal spray of epinephrine. It's called 'Neffy' in the market. It's designed to treat severe allergic reactions, which we medically call anaphylaxis, and can be life-threatening.
Imagine, a person's whole body swells up, they have difficulty breathing, and their blood pressure suddenly drops due to a food, drug, or insect bite. In such an emergency, the first and most important treatment to save a life is epinephrine. Until now, we only had injections. It came in the form of an auto-injector pen like the EpiPen that many people know. But the cost of that injection, its expiration date, its unavailability, and especially the fear of needles, made many people reluctant to use it.
This new nasal spray makes it possible to administer epinephrine quickly and safely in an emergency without any hesitation. This is a real difference.
What are the main advantages of this?
Let's look at the advantages of this new method one by one. These are the reasons why both doctors and patients have high hopes for it.
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| No needles. | This is the main advantage. The fear of injections is completely eliminated. This means that both the patient and the caregiver can administer the medicine without any hesitation. |
| Easy to use | A nasal spray is much easier than an injection. It is easy to teach even a small child how to use it. It can be used even if the patient is unconscious. |
| Shelf life is too long. | There is usually an expiration date of about 30 months. That's 2 ½ years. This is longer than auto-injectors. |
| Heat resistant | It can withstand temperatures up to 50 degrees Celsius (122 F), so it can be stored in a vehicle or outdoors. Even if it is accidentally frozen, it can be thawed and used again. |
| Easy to carry | It is small in size, so you can easily carry it in your pocket or handbag. |
Who can use this?
Currently, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved it for adults and children weighing more than 30 kilograms (66 pounds). On average, 30 kilograms is the weight of a child between the ages of 8-11.
But don't lose hope. The company that makes the drug says it hopes to seek approval for use in even lighter children, between 15 and 30 kilograms (30 and 66 pounds). So it's possible that this convenience could be available to younger children in the near future.
How do you use this? What is the dosage?
This comes in a single-use package containing two spray bottles. This means that each bottle can only deliver one dose. This single dose is equivalent to a typical auto-injector dose.
If the symptoms of the allergic reaction are not controlled, a second spray can be used after 5-10 minutes (or later).
The most important thing is to talk to your doctor and get proper advice on how to use this, when to give the second dose, etc. It is very important to be aware of what to do in advance without panicking in case of an emergency.
Is everything okay? Are there any drawbacks?
This is actually something new, so some people may be a little hesitant. There are those who wonder, "Will this be as successful as the injections we've been using for so long?" That's fair. Especially those who are used to using injections and aren't afraid of them may be a little hesitant to switch to this new thing.
But the most important thing that medical experts say is this:
When a severe allergic reaction occurs, more than 80% of people do not use epinephrine in time due to fear or other reasons. Therefore, giving any medication that is easy to use is more life-saving than not using any medication at all.
Is this really effective? What do the studies say?
Yes. Scientific studies conducted before this was approved have shown that the amount of epinephrine that is released into the bloodstream after this nasal spray is the same as the amount that is given by injection. And the way it increases blood pressure and heart rate is the same. That means that the effect it gives is the same level as the injection.
Surprisingly, this spray has been found to work well even when the nose is congested and has mucus. So it won't interfere with the nasal congestion that comes with allergies .
Overall, the biggest problem in treating severe allergic conditions is that people don't use epinephrine on time. Some waste time using other medications, such as antihistamines, instead. Everyone believes that this new, easy-to-use nasal spray will be a good solution to that problem.
Take-Home Message
- Epinephrine is a life-saving treatment for severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) .
- Now, a new needle-free, nasal spray epinephrine (neffy) has been introduced.
- This eliminates the fear of needles, is very easy to use, and is also easy to carry.
- This allows for quick treatment without hesitation in an emergency.
- If you or your child has severe allergies, be sure to talk to your doctor about this new treatment. Get advice on whether it's right for you and the correct way to use it.
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