FundaPen campaign: allergy EpiPen a life-saver

buying time that could save her life: Ten-year-old allergy sufferer Olivia Taylor and her mother Tanya Hohepa hold EpiPens —a hypodermic auto-injector used for emergency treatment in an acute reaction situation. The pens are being funded through the FundaPen campaign — a joint venture between Allergy New Zealand and Pub Charity. Picture by Liam Clayton

A Gisborne mother is stressing the importance of an EpiPen funding campaign that families with allergy sufferers may not know is back up and running.

Allergy New Zealand and Pub Charity have relaunched their FundaPen campaign to deliver 3355 free EpiPen auto-injectors to patients who have a doctor-diagnosed allergy and are at risk of anaphylaxis (a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction).

The campaign was started in 2019 and has proved successful for many families.

An EpiPen is a hypodermic device that administers a dose of epinephrine, used for the emergency treatment of an acute allergic reaction.

Gisborne woman Tanya Hohepa, whose 10-year-old daughter Olivia Taylor is allergic to peanuts, is an active subscriber with Allergy New Zealand,

“My family is very fortunate because we can afford the EpiPens. You don't just need one in a family, you need at least three — one for each parent and one for your child to take to school.

“They cost us $400 a year because EpiPens expire after 12 months without use.

“I think what's really important to know is that we buy these EpiPens at a great cost with the hope that we never have to use them. That's the irony. We need them but we hope to never use them.”

Mrs Hohepa said while learning all she could about a peanut allergy, she came across Allergy New Zealand, which was where she found out about the FundaPen campaign.

However, to access the free pens, she had to be quite assertive.

“I went to the medical centre and I told them I wanted to get this free EpiPen and they had no knowledge about the campaign. I had to open up my Facebook page and they had to read it.

“The Fundapen campaign is most important for families who can't afford to buy EpiPens and those who need it the most. I want our community to know that it is available to them.

“I am really grateful to Pub Charity and Allergy New Zealand for this campaign.”

Mrs Hohepa said she wanted government agency Pharmac to consider subsidising the cost of EpiPens if they weren't able to fund it fully.

“I am really fortunate that my family can afford EpiPens. There are many who can't. If you go into a pharmacy you have to pay $180 per pen.

“EpiPen buys you time to wait for the ambulance to come — 10 minutes. It doesn't solve the anaphylactic shock. It just buys you time, which is why it's important.”

Allergy New Zealand made eight submissions to have EpiPen auto-injectors publicly funded through Pharmac.

Allergy New Zealand chief executive Mark Dixon said the return of the FundaPen campaign was addressing a significant need for EpiPens.

“We received so much support for FundaPen from prescribers and the allergy community. Our Facebook page received more than 100,000 hits in the first 24 hours following the first public launch.”

The FundaPen campaign by Allergy New Zealand received a donation of $350,000 from Pub Charity.

Pub Charity chief executive Martin Cheer said they were proud to support the FundaPen initiative.

“We know from past experience what a positive contribution it can make to the lives of people with severe allergies, particularly those on low income.”

The 3355 EpiPen auto-injectors were bought from Queenstown Pharmacy and qualifying patients became eligible for them on February 9.