Experts have called on the Government to facilitate a potentially life-saving initiative which would ensure that adrenaline injections can be given immediately to people suffering anaphylactic shock on university campuses.

Two doctors at UCC have outlined a proposal for a pilot university-wide first-responder anaphylaxis autoinjector programme, which would operate on similar lines to automated external defibrillator programmes for people suffering from sudden cardiac arrest.

Dr Michael Byrne, of the UCC Student Health Department, and Prof Jonathan Hourihane, allergy expert and head of the Department of Paediatrics at the College, say should the pilot be successful, it may well prove to be a life-saving blueprint that other colleges and organisations could follow.

However, they point out that there is a gap in legislation that is getting in the way of such an initiative being launched.

They say 320 students at UCC have a known or suspected food allergy at any one time. This could translate into as many as 10 potential serious student allergic reactions each year with a further two staff members at risk as well, the doctors say.

"We very rarely see cases of near-death anaphylaxis in the student health premises on campus. We have done so however, and in my eight years in UCC, we have definitely saved at least one life in our emergency treatment room through the administration of adrenaline", Dr Byrne said.

"There lies the problem however, because there will be many more anaphylaxis episodes which will occur when someone is not in our premises. It will occur when someone is in the library, on the running track or in one of our multiple eating places on-campus. It will occur at night, and at weekends."

Dr Byrne said through the First Responder Programme there would be an innovative, safe and effective means of reducing that risk by alllowing opeopel to access adrenaline injections more readily around campus.

Anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening, allergic reaction. It can be caused by a very broad range of triggers, commonly including food, drugs and wasp or bee-venom. Adrenaline is the most important drug in its treatment and is most effective when administered early after thereaction starts.

The UCC doctors outlined their plans for the analaphylaxis response programme to the to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children.