Lawmakers Urge FAA to Keep Epinephrine on All Flights
Democratic lawmakers and the American Medical Association urged the FAA to maintain mandatory epinephrine requirements for all U.S. airlines to ensure passenger safety.
A group of Democratic lawmakers, led by Tammy Duckworth and Senator Chuck Schumer, urged the Federal Aviation Administration on Monday to maintain the requirement for all U.S. airlines to carry epinephrine. The lawmakers argue that auto-injectors are essential for managing severe allergic reactions, particularly as food allergies in children increase and unlabeled allergens remain present on flights.
This request follows an August proposal by the FAA to replace specific medical kit checklists with performance-based standards. The proposed change would grant airlines more flexibility in managing nine life-threatening conditions. While carriers such as JetBlue and American Airlines already stock auto-injectors, Delta Air Lines is currently transitioning its fleets with a deadline of September 2027.
The American Medical Association joined the call for strict requirements, warning the FAA that allowing individual airlines to determine their own medical supplies could compromise passenger safety during in-flight emergencies.
