I wonder whether EpiPens should be kept in clearly marked stations, much like AEDs. Opening the station door could automatically alert campus or school first responders, and the stations could be regularly inspected like AEDs or fire extinguishers to ensure that the EpiPens are present, properly stored, and within their expiration dates.

The need may not be as rare as we might assume. An analysis of 217 colleges reported that more than 95% of college dining halls and about two-thirds of campus emergency responders lacked epinephrine on hand. School data also suggest that EpiPens might be needed more frequently than AEDs. A systematic review estimated epinephrine use in schools at 6–22 times per 100,000 person-years,[1] compared with 0.63 sudden cardiac arrests per 100,000 student-years in a prospective study of U.S. high schools.[2] Although this is not a perfect comparison, particularly because AEDs also serve older employees and visitors, it suggests that an EpiPen could be needed roughly 10–35 times more often among students than an AED. A readily accessible and properly maintained EpiPen station really could save a life.

College data: https://www.aaaai.org/about/news/news/2025/college

1. Chu DK, Cruickshank H, Brozek J, Waserman S. Risk of anaphylaxis in schools: a systematic review. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2018;141(2 Suppl). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2017.12.501
2. Drezner JA, Toresdahl BG, Rao AL, Huszti E, Harmon KG. Outcomes from sudden cardiac arrest in US high schools: a 2-year prospective study from the National Registry for AED Use in Sports. Br J Sports Med. 2013;47(18):1179–1183. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2013-092786