Yesterday, the House Education Committee unanimously approved a bill that would force all 501 school districts in the state to allow students to take asthma medicine on their own. The bill is expected to go to the full House within several weeks and then on to the Senate, where it is expected to pass. This is just good for kids. And that's what we're all about. Cohen, who drafted the measure a year ago in response to a constituent complaint in her suburban Philadelphia legislative district, said many school districts across the state had refused to allow students to take asthma medication on their own, fearing that would open the door to lawsuits in the event of a medical mishap.
State law is silent on the issue.
Some schools consider asthma medicine a drug, and allowing students to carry puffers would violate anti-drug policies. Some districts don't know they can allow students to take the medicine on their own and force them to go to the school nurse whenever they have an asthma attack, Cohen said. The bill would require school districts to come up with written policies on the use of asthma inhalers but mandates that schools allow students to self-medicate. Cohen said asthma was the leading cause of absenteeism in school-age children and the most common chronic illness among youngsters. The bill is supported by the American Lung Association and the Pennsylvania Society of Respiratory Care.