Summary
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), acting jointly with the Department of Health in Northern Ireland, have launched a UK-wide consultation on proposals to amend the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 (HMRs), to allow schools to purchase and hold spare Adrenaline Nasal Sprays (ANS) for the emergency treatment of anaphylaxis. This would be alongside, and in addition to, the Adrenaline Auto-injectors (AAIs) they are already permitted to hold.
Consultation description
Under this proposal, the existing safeguards would remain unchanged: spare adrenaline products could only be used for pupils known to be at risk of anaphylaxis and administered by appropriately trained school staff. Schools would however have the flexibility to choose whether to stock AAIs, ANS, or both, and either product could be used in an emergency regardless of which type of adrenaline device the pupil has been prescribed. Should the proposal be taken forward, updated guidance would support implementation and training, while reinforcing that school-held adrenaline supplies are a backup measure and not a replacement for pupils carrying their own prescribed medication.
The consultation will also seek stakeholder views on the practical implementation and potential impacts of the proposals on patients and families, healthcare professionals, schools, and other affected groups. Feedback will help inform the UK Government’s decision on whether and how to proceed with the legislative amendments and how best to support schools in responding effectively to life-threatening allergic emergencies.
Ways to respond
The consultation will run for eight weeks, closing on 14 December 2026. The Department would encourage all relevant stakeholders in Northern Ireland to respond to the consultation, which can be accessed via this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-schools-holding-adrenaline-nasal-sprays-for-anaphylaxis