What a plan is for
Anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction. It can follow foods, bites, stings or medicines, it can develop quickly, and it can be fatal. ASCIA says allergies to the venom of stinging insects are among the most common causes of severe allergic reactions in Australia and New Zealand.
ASCIA’s plans for anaphylaxis suit people whose allergy is to food, insects, ticks or drugs, or any other allergy able to cause anaphylaxis. They are not for hay fever caused by pollen, dust mite, animals or other inhaled allergens, and not for food intolerance, which is different from food allergy.
The plans, side by side
| Plan | Who it is for |
|---|---|
| Action Plan for Anaphylaxis (red) | The personal plan this page is about. It can list the person’s medically confirmed allergens. |
| Action Plan for Allergic Reactions | People with allergies who have not been prescribed an adrenaline device. Someone who already has a red plan does not need it. |
| Action Plan for Drug (Medication) Allergy | People with a drug allergy who usually have no adrenaline device prescribed, since accidental exposure to a drug can mostly be avoided. |
| First Aid Plan for Anaphylaxis | Open ASCIA’s First Aid Plan for Anaphylaxis (PDF). |
Who writes it, and how long it lasts
- Only the prescriber can complete the plan, and it cannot be altered without their permission.
- It does not need a stamp: a signature is enough.
- It does not expire, and can be used past its recommended review date, which is a prompt to see the doctor or prescriber again.
- ASCIA says it should still be reviewed and updated whenever the person is reassessed, which should happen each time they get a new adrenaline device prescription, roughly every 12 to 18 months.
- Both pages of the general version must be printed, either double-sided or as two single pages displayed together.
The plan works only if someone else can read it in a hurry. healthdirect suggests making sure friends and family know how to follow it, and says a medical ID bracelet or necklace can help others recognise the emergency. ASCIA generally recommends that people with an adrenaline device wear some form of medical identification.
The device that goes with it
ASCIA describes adrenaline devices as holding a single, fixed dose, designed to be used by anyone without medical training, or by the patient if they are not too unwell or too young. Each device is for single use only.
As at October 2026, ASCIA’s page notes that two devices, neffy and Jext, are registered with the TGA but not yet listed on the PBS, with availability expected in 2026 and dates still to be confirmed. Check ASCIA’s page for the current position.
Sting allergy and the plan
ASCIA says people at risk of anaphylaxis from stinging insects are usually advised to have an ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis and an adrenaline device readily available. It says the people at greatest risk are those who have had anaphylaxis after a sting before, that adults are at greater risk than children, and that older people and those with breathing difficulty should see a clinical immunology or allergy specialist to plan for future stings.
ASCIA also names beta blockers and ACE inhibitors as medicines that may make anaphylaxis more severe or complicate its treatment, a point to raise with the doctor who writes the plan. healthdirect says that anyone who has had anaphylaxis, or might have, should ask a GP to refer them to an allergy specialist.
On acreage around Caboolture, carrying the plan and device, as healthdirect advises, means the paddock and the shed as much as the house. The fire ant stings page and the tick allergy page cover the two outdoor allergies this notebook follows. Even among stinging insects the allergies are separate: ASCIA says allergy to one type of stinging insect does not usually raise the risk of reacting to another.