The model is expected to hit the market at a maximum price of R $ 400, while international versions will cost R $ 2,000; the product has yet to be approved by Anvisa
Brazilian researchers have developed the country’s first self-injectable adrenaline pen, an essential treatment for severe allergic reactions, such as anaphylactic shock (anaphylaxis). Currently, since there is no domestic product for sale, it is necessary import high-cost pens or replace them with less effective alternatives. Without import costs, developers expect the domestic pen will be up to 80% cheaper than those imported from abroad.
The prototype was created by a team led by Dr. Renato Rozental, professor at Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ)with the support of a São Paulo company. The tool is in the early stages of registration with National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) and will still have to undergo evaluation by the agency before reaching the market. According to Rozental, the entire process will take about 11 months.
The national pen follows the standard of the products already sold, with a vial of adrenaline in a dose appropriate to the patient’s weight. The needle also varies depending on the audience, with one version for children and another for adults.
In case of an allergic reaction, simply apply the contents to the side of the thigh – no medical training or specific qualifications required. Once injected, adrenaline quickly reverses the reaction, allowing time for medical help and specialist care to arrive.
Rozental estimates that the final product will cost between R$350 and R$400. Imported pens, found in some pharmacies or purchased directly from abroad, cost on average R$2,000.
Years of disinterest
Pen technology is not new: the first adrenaline auto-injector was launched on the international market in the mid-1980s. However, as Fábio Chigres Kuschnir, president of the Brazilian Association of Allergy and Immunology (Asbai), explains, the production of the article was stopped. it is concentrated in fewer than 35 countries.
According to Kuschnir, one of the reasons for this concentration is the lack of interest on the part of companies drug manufacturers. “So far no laboratory has been interested in this,” he says.
He and Rozental comment that the increased visibility of the topic and the increase in cases of anaphylaxis around the world were factors that encouraged and enabled the fabrication of the national prototype. Along with this, new public policies targeting the issue have also been created. “We’ve had a huge boost in the last year or so,” says the Asbai president.
An example is law 85/2024, currently under development Chamber of Deputieswhich establishes the free supply of the self-injectable adrenaline pen by the Unified Health System (SUS). The project has already been approved by the Health Commission and awaits the opinions of the Finance and Taxation, Constitution and Justice and Citizenship commissions. For doctors, the availability of a Brazilian pen would facilitate this distribution in the public network.
Increase in cases
Anaphylactic shock is a severe and sudden allergic reaction. It causes difficulty breathing, rapid heartbeat, and swelling of the throat and can be fatal.
The condition occurs when the body overreacts to a substance it considers a threat and releases a high load of histamine, which adrenaline helps control.
According to Asbai, cases of anaphylaxis are increasing in children aged 0 to 4 years and are similar to the level seen in the United States. There the cases went from 5.7 to 11.7 per 10,000 visits, considering the years 2009 and 2013.
Furthermore, according to a study published in 2022 in the journal Clinical and experimental allergybetween 2011 and 2019 in Brazil there was an annual increase of 2.4% in hospital admissions and 3.8% in deaths due to anaphylaxis.
The main causes of anaphylactic shock are stings from animals such as bees and wasps, reactions to drugs or food. But there are other factors, such as exposure to new foods and an increasingly industrialized diet.
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
