The Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) wishes to be
recorded in strong support of H.508 and S.235, An Act Improving Students Access
to Life Saving Treatments. We thank
Representative Lou Kafka and Senator William Brownsberger for sponsoring these
important pieces of legislation.
H.508 and S.235 are identical bills that would address the need
for others to help students with diabetes by administering an injection of
glucagon in an emergency situation. Students with diabetes may suffer from
hypoglycemia as a result of exercise and too little food or an overdose of
insulin. In extreme cases, hypoglycemia
may result in seizures or a coma. In Massachusetts schools, currently only
school nurses are permitted to administer glucagon. But in some settings such as school trips or
athletic events, a nurse may not be available. If passed, these bills would
allow trained non-medical personnel to administer glucagon to a student in an
emergency situation.
Diabetes is a disease that results in high blood glucose
levels. Insulin is used to lower blood sugar.
Glucagon is used in cases of severe hypoglycemia where the child is
incapacitated and can't consume food or drink to raise their blood
glucose. Most young people with diabetes
are acutely aware of their blood sugar levels and routinely self- administer
insulin. Unfortunately, for them, it is
a part of their everyday life. However,
because fainting, seizure or death could occur, it is important to allow the
administration of glucagon by a member of the school staff when the nurse or
other school staff is not present and the student exhibits symptoms of severe
hypoglycemia.
There is a long list of medical/diabetes organizations that
support this, including the American Diabetes Association, the American
Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, and the American Academy of
Pediatrics. 41 states permit non-medical
staff in schools to be trained should the school nurse not be available,
including California, Virginia and Wisconsin, and our neighboring states of
Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Hampshire, and Maine. Based on information from these states, the
MMS is not aware of any adverse events due to the passage of this bill.
The MMS thanks the
Committee on Education for their consideration of this important piece of
legislation for young people with diabetes and their parents. We urge the Committee to report the bill out
favorably in a timely manner.
