Statement regarding the inquest of Dylan Hill

The Anaphylaxis Campaign was saddened to learn of the death of 18-year-old Dylan Hill a few years ago and our Chief Executive has attended the coroner’s inquest that has been taking place this week in Sheffield to understand if lessons can be learned from this tragic case.

Dylan collapsed after dining at an Indian restaurant in Barnsley with his partner Demi Cash on 17th May 2015 and died after experiencing a severe allergic reaction known as anaphylactic shock after eating a curry which contained peanuts.

Lynne Regent, Chief Executive of the Anaphylaxis Campaign, said:

“Our heartfelt condolences go out once again to Dylan’s family. Teenagers and young people are a particular risk group of dying as a result of a severe allergic reaction, which is why we worked so hard to get our Take the Kit film made to raise awareness of anaphylaxis and the importance of always carrying emergency medication.

It is also vital that those affected by severe food allergies draw attention to these when eating out and that all in the food service industry are fully trained and aware of the importance of dealing with food allergies correctly. We will be working closely with the parties concerned in this tragic case to take forward the lessons learned”

Further updates regarding the case are expected to be released by the coroner’s office after Christmas.

We have more information and advice about eating out when you have food allergy and the importance of carrying life saving emergency medication below, and on our website.

If you have any concerns or questions, please contact our helpline team at info@anaphylaxis.org.uk or call 01252 542 029.

For further information, please contact our press office via press@anaphylaxis.org.uk or call 01252 893 862.

Adrenaline

Adrenaline Auto-Injectors, known as AAIs, are the life saving drugs used to treat severe allergic reactions. The AAIs currently prescribed in the UK at present are EpiPen® and Jext®.

Emerade devices in all doses (150mcg, 300mcg and 500mcg) have been recalled and are not currently available. Read the latest statements on this in our Latest News section here.

If you are prescribed adrenaline, it should be available at all times – with no exceptions. After an injection has been given, someone should call the emergency services immediately as the person will need observation in case of a secondary reaction and further treatment may be needed.

You can find out more in our adrenaline factsheet here.

Eating Out

By law, food businesses selling catered food (for example in restaurants, takeaways and hotels) are required to provide information on major allergenic ingredients, either in writing and/or orally. If information is provided orally, the food business will need to ensure that there is some sort of written signage that is clearly visible, to indicate that allergen information is available from a member of staff. Systems should also be in place to ensure that, if requested, the information given orally is supported in a recorded form to ensure consistency and accuracy.

You can find out more in our guide to eating out for young people here.

Take the Kit

#TakeTheKit was created after results from our Youth Survey in 2012 revealed that only 33% of young people carried their AAIs at all times. A recent similar survey which ran earlier this year in February 2017 has shown that 72% of the respondents said they carried their AAIs, an increase of 39%.

Find out more about #TaketheKit here.