The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 278 No 7437 p147
3 February 2007

Society summary

An occasional feature, prepared in the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Professional Standards Directorate, to highlight problems and inquiries currently being handled

Law and Ethics Bulletin, 2001 to present

Administration of adrenaline (epinephrine) in an emergency

Pharmacists are advised that while there are a number of legal restrictions controlling the supply and administration of medicines, there is an exemption in legislation to allow adrenaline (epinephrine) injection 1 in 1000 to be administered for the purposes of saving a life in an emergency. The Society’s Code of Ethics and Standards, which all registered pharmacists are required to adhere to, states that: “Pharmacists must assist persons in need of emergency first aid or medical treatment whether by administering emergency first aid within their competence or by summoning assistance and/or the emergency services.”

Guidance regarding the legal requirements controlling the supply and administration of medicines and the professional requirements of the Code of Ethics are published in ‘Medicines, ethics and practice: a guide for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians’.

In addition, the Society has produced a booklet entitled “Emergency first aid: guidance for pharmacists” which contains information on action in life-threatening situations when the Society believes a pharmacist would be justified in supplying and administering certain medicines. The guidance is not intended as a replacement for first aid training and pharmacists are advised to keep their first aid skills up to date.

One of the life-threatening situations on which guidance is provided is anaphylactic shock. It sets out the symptoms pharmacists should look for and the action they should take, which includes the administration of adrenaline.

Copies of the emergency first aid booklet can be obtained from the Fitness to Practise and Legal Affairs Directorate (tel 020 7572 2308; e-mail ftp@rpsgb.org).