EMERGENCY MEDICAL KITS

To recognize the importance of standardized and readily accessible emergency medical kits (EMKs) in locations with inconsistent emergency medical services; further, 

To advocate for the inclusion of pharmacist expertise in policy and regulations for the interprofessional decisions related to the contents, storage, and maintenance of medications in EMKs; further, 

To collaborate with other professions and stakeholders to standardize the contents of and locations for EMKs, and to develop guidelines and standardized training for proper use of EMK contents by designated personnel employed in those settings.

Rationale

A social media movement called attention to the lack of standardization in emergency medical kits (EMKs) during an in-flight medical emergency. U.S. CFR 121.803 – Emergency Medical Equipment – requires certain medications and supplies for flights in case of medical emergencies but does not require the stocking of naloxone for reversing opioid overdoses or epinephrine auto-injectors for ease of administration, among many other medications and supplies. Many locations with inconsistent access to emergency medical services, such as airplanes, contain a stock of emergency supplies and medications that are not standardized and may not be adequate to manage some emergencies. In 2019, the Aerospace Medical Association Air Transport Medicine Committee sent recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration regarding the contents of emergency medical kits, including recommendations to add naloxone and an epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen).

The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed standardized health kits of medicines and medical supplies to meet different health needs in humanitarian emergencies and disasters. These kits are developed to provide reliable and affordable medicines and supplies quickly to those in need. The kits are used by United Nations agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and national governments. The contents of these kits are based primarily on the WHO’s Essential Medicines list and guidelines on treatment of specific medical conditions. The contents of the kits are frequently reviewed and updated to adapt to changing needs based on experience in emergency situations. However, the WHO List of Essential Medicines does not specify an auto-injector for use in anaphylaxis.

There is growing concern regarding the need to standardize requirements set by a governing body to ensure that EMKs contain appropriate medications and supplies that are easy to use in an emergency, have been audited to ensure they contain the required items, have been stored appropriately, and do not contain expired products. Standardization of EMK contents would simplify training requirements for those using the kits, which should include what products are contained within the EMKs, how to use them (when appropriate), and when to provide the kits in the case of an emergency. Finally, it is critical to collect and track incident and outcomes data to promote improvement in emergency response, and pharmacist involvement in the interprofessional evaluation of that data is essential.