"Modern Family" Star Julie Bowen Narrates New Online Children's E-Book To Help Encourage School Communities to Talk About Anaphylaxis

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Sept. 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mylan Specialty L.P. initiative Get Schooled in Anaphylaxis™ today launched a new tool, a children's e-book narrated by Emmy^®-award winning actress Julie Bowen, to help raise awareness of and preparedness for life-threatening allergic reactions, or anaphylaxis. The educational and entertaining e-book is designed to help parents and elementary school staff talk to kids about this sometimes scary subject in a non-threatening way. The e-book is available for free at www.Anaphylaxis101.com.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please visit: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/60736-get-schooled-in-anaphylaxis/

The e-book, titled The Adventures of Ana and Phyl: The Carnival, follows brother and sister duo – Ana and Phyl Axis – as they work with parents, teachers and other children to plan an allergy-friendly event at their school. Through the story, readers learn about the importance of avoiding people's allergens, knowing the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis, having access to two epinephrine auto-injectors, and being prepared to respond if anaphylaxis occurs. The reader follows them on an adventure to choose the most appropriate foods and supplies to make the event a success. In the end, Ana and Phyl plan a carnival that everyone can enjoy, and that even a skeptical school bully agrees is "the best carnival ever!"

"As the mother of a child with life-threatening allergies, I know how important it is to talk frequently with my child and the people who care for him about this topic," said Bowen, whose oldest son is allergic to peanuts, tree nuts and bee stings. "This e-book offers a great, new way to continue the conversation about the seriousness of anaphylaxis and the importance of avoiding known allergens. The Adventures of Ana and Phyl provides us all with a good reminder of the steps we need to take to be prepared if anaphylaxis occurs."

The Carnival was inspired in part by the many submissions received through the Get Schooled in Anaphylaxis Challenge™ competition that culminated earlier this year. The book is dedicated to the 15 scholarship winners and honors them by naming some of the characters after them.

Children spend an average of 180 days a year at school, so everyone in the extended school community, including children, parents, school staff, family and friends, should know that anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction that has many possible triggers, occurs quickly, and must be treated immediately with epinephrine. Food allergies – a common cause of anaphylaxis – are on the rise, especially in children, making anaphylaxis awareness in the school setting critical.

On www.Anaphylaxis101.com, people can download materials like posters, lesson plans and presentations to help educate others about anaphylaxis in their school and communities. While on the site, visitors can also take part in Raise Your Hand for Anaphylaxis Awareness™, a competition that encourages people to virtually pledge their support and have their school district counted as part of a national effort to raise awareness of anaphylaxis and potentially win one of four $15,000 educational grants. Winners will be identified in accordance with the official competition rules. For more information, please visit www.Anaphylaxis101.com.

About Get Schooled in Anaphylaxis™
The Get Schooled in Anaphylaxis initiative was created to help everyone in the school setting be prepared to respond when a life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) occurs. Because anaphylaxis can happen anywhere and at any time, everyone responsible for a child – including parents, school staff, family and friends – should be aware of the signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction, help those at risk to avoid allergens at all times and be prepared to use an epinephrine auto-injector and seek immediate medical care if anaphylaxis occurs. Visit www.Anaphylaxis101.com to learn more about life-threatening allergies and if you or someone you care for is at risk for anaphylaxis. You can download practical materials like posters, lesson plans and tip sheets and access information from leading patient, professional and advocacy organizations that are all united in the common goal of improving anaphylaxis education. You can also learn about Julie Bowen's family story, and sign up to receive news about activities and events. Follow the Twitter handle @Anaphylaxis101 to get the latest news about the initiative.

Get Schooled in Anaphylaxis: The Interactive Experience is traveling the country. Visit www.Anaphylaxis101.com to see if it's coming to a neighborhood near you.

About Anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction that can occur when the body is exposed to an allergen and can occur anywhere and at any time. Anaphylaxis causes an estimated 1,500 deaths each year. The prevalence of food allergies among children is on the rise, now affecting approximately one in 13 U.S. children. Children and adolescents are among those most at risk for anaphylaxis due to increased exposure to potential allergic triggers. Symptoms of anaphylaxis can vary from person to person and each time it occurs. Symptoms may include trouble breathing, chest pain, skin hives or redness of the skin, tightness in the throat, swelling of the lips and/or tongue, nausea, dizziness, a decrease in blood pressure and/or fainting. Allergic reactions are unpredictable – a mild reaction to an allergen one time can be more severe and even life-threatening the next.

Food allergy guidelines developed by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), recommend epinephrine as the only first-line treatment for anaphylaxis management and that it be available at all times to those at risk for anaphylaxis. If experiencing anaphylaxis, a person should use an epinephrine auto-injector and seek immediate emergency medical attention. Failure to administer epinephrine early in the course of treatment has been repeatedly implicated in anaphylaxis fatalities.

About Mylan Specialty
Mylan Specialty, a subsidiary of Mylan Inc. (Nasdaq: MYL), is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development, manufacturing and marketing of prescription drug products for the treatment of respiratory diseases, life-threatening allergic reactions and psychiatric disorders. For more information, please visit www.mylanspecialty.com.

About Mylan
Mylan is a global pharmaceutical company committed to setting new standards in health care. Working together around the world to provide 7 billion people access to high quality medicine, we innovate to satisfy unmet needs; make reliability and service a habit; do what's right, not what's easy; and impact the future through passionate global leadership. We offer a growing portfolio of approximately 1,100 generic pharmaceuticals and several brand medications. In addition, we offer a wide range of antiretroviral therapies, upon which approximately 40% of HIV/AIDS patients in developing countries depend. We also operate one of the largest active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturers and currently market products in approximately 140 countries and territories. Our workforce of more than 20,000 people is dedicated to improving the customer experience and increasing pharmaceutical access to consumers around the world. But don't take our word for it. See for yourself. See inside. mylan.com

Get Schooled in Anaphylaxis™, Get Schooled in Anaphylaxis Challenge™ and the Raise Your Hand for Anaphylaxis Awareness™ campaign are sponsored by and trademarks of Mylan Specialty L.P. © 2013. Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. All rights reserved. PAC13-0073

Mylan Inc. Contacts:
Nina Devlin, 724-514-1968
Lauren Kashtan, 908-542-2600

SOURCE Mylan, Inc.