Mylan hires NFL player, TV personality to promote EpiPen

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. — A division of Mylan is hiring NFL player Adrian Peterson and celebrity nanny Jo Frost to promote an emergency treatment for severe allergic reactions.

Mylan Specialty announced that it had hired the two — who both have potentially life-threatening allergies — to raise awareness of the problem. Mylan Specialty is launching a multichannel marketing campaign for the EpiPen (epinephrine) auto-injector to mark the 25th anniversary of its approval by the Food and Drug Administration.

"Life-threatening allergic reactions are unpredictable, and symptoms can progress rapidly from mild to severe, which is why immediate access to epinephrine, the only first-line treatment for anaphylaxis, is critical," Tennessee College of Medicine professor Phil Lieberman said, using the medical term for severe allergic reactions. "I've seen many patients underestimate their risk of anaphylaxis and overestimate their preparedness. People with severe allergies should have an anaphylaxis action plan in place, which includes avoiding known allergens, recognizing symptoms, having access to two epinephrine auto-injectors at all times and seeking immediate emergency medicare care should anaphylaxis occur."