Northside Hospital Cherokee has helped the Cherokee County School District obtain potentially life-saving epinephrine injectors for all of its schools, district officials announced.

The cost of the EpiPens – auto-injectors to be used to counter serious allergic reactions – was waived by their manufacturer, Mylan, as part of its EpiPen4Schools program, officials said.

Cherokee’s participation in the program was made possible by Northside Dr. Matthew Simmons, who wrote prescriptions for each school’s clinic.

The EpiPen4Schools program helps improve access to epinephrine in the event of a life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) in a school setting, according to a Mylan website. "An estimated one in 13 children in the U.S. lives with a food allergy that puts them at risk for anaphylaxis," Mylan says.

Information: https://www.epipen4schools.com/