The nation’s allergists and emergency physicians have teamed up to launch Be S.A.F.E., a campaign to increase awareness of anaphylaxis, widely believed to be an under-recognized and under-treated medical emergency.

Inconsistencies in the diagnosis and treatment of anaphylaxis create considerable challenges for emergency personnel and other healthcare providers. The campaign highlights the need to follow recommended guidelines including discharging patients with prescriptions for self-injectable epinephrine and a referral to an allergist for follow-up disease management.

To foster greater collaboration between emergency professionals and allergy specialists, an expert panel of allergists and emergency physicians was convened in Chicago in April 2006 by the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) and the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). The expert panel developed the S.A.F.E. system and a quick reference card for use by emergency physicians, tools designed to help improve the ongoing management and avoidance of factors that contribute to anaphylaxis.

The forum and development of campaign materials was supported by an educational grant from Dey, L.P.