MILLIONS of people round the world carry a device called an EpiPen – or similar products – to treat allergic reactions to certain foods, insect bites, medicines or even latex.
Each contains a vital dose of the hormone adrenaline, which rapidly dampens down the potentially fatal immune reaction, giving the patient time to get to hospital.
But the EpiPen started life very differently. In the early Seventies during the Cold War, the U.S. military had been looking for a quick way for agents to inject an antidote to nerve gas in the event of an attack.
Biomechanical engineer Sheldon Kaplan invented a pen-like gadget that did the job. Later, he adapted it to be filled with adrenaline for those with severe allergies – saving countless lives.
