PRINTER'S NO. 2285
No. 1863 Session of 1995
INTRODUCED BY COLAFELLA, TRELLO, FAIRCHILD, GEORGE, READSHAW,
WALKO, SATHER, STABACK, JOSEPHS, WOZNIAK, BELARDI,
YOUNGBLOOD, LAUGHLIN, LESCOVITZ, COLAIZZO AND CIVERA,
JUNE 26, 1995
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES,
JUNE 26, 1995
AN ACT
1 Providing for the administration of epinephrine by certified
2 laypersons in emergency situations caused by insect stings.
3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4 hereby enacts as follows:
5 Section 1. Short title.
6 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Insect Sting
7 Emergency Treatment Act.
8 Section 2. Purpose.
9 It is the purpose of this act to provide a means of
10 authorizing certain individuals when a physician is not
11 immediately available to administer lifesaving treatments to
12 those persons who have severe reactions to insect stings.
13 Section 3. Administration.
14 The Department of Health is hereby authorized to perform the
15 following functions and duties:
16 (1) To promulgate rules and regulations necessary for
1 the administration of this act.
2 (2) To conduct educational training programs as
3 described in section 4 and to approve programs conducted by
4 other governmental agencies or private entities.
5 (3) To issue and to renew certificates of training to
6 those persons who have complied with this act and the rules
7 and regulations promulgated in this act.
8 (4) To collect fees necessary for the administration of
9 this act.
10 Section 4. Educational training programs.
11 Educational training programs required by this act shall be
12 conducted by a physician licensed to practice medicine in this
13 Commonwealth. The curriculum shall minimally include the
14 following subjects:
15 (1) Recognition of the symptoms of systemic reactions to
16 insect stings.
17 (2) The proper administration of a subcutaneous
18 injection of epinephrine.
19 Section 5. Eligibility for certificate.
20 Persons eligible to receive a certificate under this act
21 shall meet the following requirements:
22 (1) Be 18 years of age or older.
23 (2) Have or reasonably expect to have responsibility for
24 at least one other person as a result of one's occupational
25 or volunteer status, such as camp counselors, scout leaders,
26 school teachers, forest rangers, tour guides or chaperones.
27 (3) Have successfully completed an educational training
28 program as described in section 4.
29 Section 6. Applications for certificates.
30 Persons meeting the requirement of section 5 shall be
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1 entitled to a certificate under this act upon payment of an
2 application fee of $25.
3 Section 7. Authority of certificate.
4 Notwithstanding any other law, a certificate issued under
5 this act shall authorize the holder thereof to receive, upon
6 presentment of the certificate, from any physician licensed in
7 this Commonwealth or from the Department of Health, a
8 prescription for premeasured doses of epinephrine and the
9 necessary paraphernalia for administration. The certificate
10 shall also authorize the holder to possess and administer in an
11 emergency situation when a physician is not immediately
12 available the prescribed epinephrine to persons suffering a
13 severe adverse reaction to an insect sting.
14 Section 8. Immunity.
15 No cause of action shall arise against a certificate holder
16 authorized by this act for any act or omission of such
17 certificate holder when acting in good faith while rendering
18 emergency treatment under the authority granted by this act,
19 except where the conduct amounts to gross negligence.
20 Section 9. Effective date.
21 This act shall take effect January 1, 1996.
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