I am a licensed Virginia child care provider, and I oppose this mandate for the following reasons:

• Financial burden of purchasing and maintaining EpiPens plus training costs
• Lack of medical training to diagnose anaphylactic shock or determine need for epinephrine
• Fear of causing serious harm through accidental injection or unnecessary administration
• Concern about dosing errors with children of different ages and sizes
• Unclear liability insurance coverage and risk of lawsuits
• Better alternatives exist, such as requiring prescribed EpiPens from parents with known
allergies

I support child safety but ask that you work with providers on practical, sustainable solutions.