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Emerade

Emerade is a brand of adrenaline auto-injector pens for severe allergic reactions, made by Bausch + Lomb.

Emerade is a brand of adrenaline auto-injector pens used to treat anaphylaxis, a severe acute allergic reaction that can be triggered by food, stings or medicines. The brand is made by Bausch + Lomb, and its website is www.emerade.com1.

The single most important thing a household needs to know is that Emerade has been recalled in the UK and is not currently available. In May 2023 the MHRA issued a National Patient Safety Alert recalling all unexpired batches of Emerade 500 micrograms and Emerade 300 micrograms auto-injectors because of the potential for device failure, with some pens failing to activate and deliver adrenaline2. Future production of the 500 and 300 microgram pens is on hold, and official advice is that patients will need to be switched to an appropriate alternative2.

What to do if you hold Emerade pens

Contact your doctor or pharmacist by telephone now to arrange replacements for you or your child's Emerade pens3. Replacement pens will be either EpiPen or Jext, and official guidance states that a single EpiPen (300 micrograms) or Jext (300 micrograms) pen is a suitable replacement for a single Emerade 500 micrograms pen, with two 300 microgram pens also suitable as replacements2. A study comparing blood levels of adrenaline found no difference between Emerade 500 micrograms and EpiPen 300 micrograms or Jext 300 micrograms pens3.

While you still hold Emerade pens, official advice is to carry two in-date pens at all times, as most pens will activate as normal2. During the recall period, when activation failure is a possibility, press the Emerade pen very firmly against your thigh3. You can tell whether a pen has activated: the needle cover extends and locks, and if it has not extended the pen has not activated3. Retain any suspected un-activated pen for reporting to the MHRA via the Yellow Card and for investigation purposes3. Return unused or out-of-date medicines to your pharmacy rather than disposing of them at home4.

If a severe allergic reaction happens, call 999. Our first aid guide and health emergencies guide cover what to have ready and how medicine supplies fit a household plan.

Keeping your allergy plan ready

A recalled and unavailable medicine is exactly the kind of gap an emergency exposes, so build it into your household checks. Set a reminder every six months to check expiry dates, swap out items that need replacing, and update your kit if household needs have changed5. Keep an up-to-date list of medication, repeat prescriptions and allergies with your emergency supplies6, and if anyone in the household depends on carers, you are responsible for keeping the emergency plan up to date whenever new or different medication is prescribed7. Where spare pens are kept at school, official advice is that they should be kept in a central place in a box clearly marked with the pupil's name, and not locked away where access is restricted2. Trainer pens that contain no adrenaline can be ordered from manufacturers' websites so family, carers and school staff can practise with whichever device is prescribed1. You can sign up for the government's recalls and alerts service to be notified whenever a product recall is published8.

For wider preparedness, see our getting started guide and emergency kit checklist, and for people who need extra help in an emergency, our extra help guide.

Sources (8)
  1. Your quick guide to Adrenaline Auto-Injectors, East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, 2026
  2. National Patient Safety Alert: recall of Emerade 500 and 300 micrograms auto-injectors, MHRA, 2023-05-09
  3. Patient advice letter: Emerade 500 micrograms recall, MHRA, 2023-05-09
  4. Chemical safety at home, nidirect, 2026-04-14
  5. Get prepared for emergencies, UK Government, 2026-10-21
  6. Carers service: planning ahead, Torbay and South Devon NHS, 2025-10-21
  7. Carer's emergency plan, Norfolk County Council, 2026-10-29
  8. Recalls and alerts, UK Government, 2026-07-07

Common questions

Can I still use my Emerade pen in an emergency while it is recalled?

If you have nothing else to hand in a severe allergic reaction, using a recalled Emerade pen is better than using nothing, but you must press it very firmly against your thigh while activation failure remains a possibility. An activated pen has a needle cover that extends and locks; if it has not extended, the pen has not activated. Call 999 either way, and keep any pen that fails to activate so it can be reported to the MHRA.

How do I return my recalled Emerade pens?

Take unused or out-of-date medicines, including recalled auto-injectors, back to your pharmacy rather than binning them at home. Keep any pen you suspect failed to activate, because the MHRA asks that these are retained for reporting through the Yellow Card scheme and for investigation. Your pharmacist can confirm what to hand in and what to keep.

When will Emerade be available in the UK again?

There is no date. The maker's future production of the 500 micrograms and 300 micrograms auto-injectors is on hold, and official advice is that patients will need to be switched to an appropriate alternative such as EpiPen or Jext. Ask your GP or pharmacist about a replacement prescription rather than waiting for supplies to return.

How do I check which dose my Emerade pen is?

Emerade pens come in three strengths: 150, 300 and 500 micrograms of adrenaline (as tartrate). The dose is printed on the pen and on its packaging. All three strengths have been subject to recall notices in the UK, so whatever dose you hold, check the recall notices and speak to your doctor or pharmacist.

What about spare pens kept at school or work?

Official advice for schools is that if adrenaline auto-injectors are not carried by the pupil, they should be kept in a central place in a box clearly marked with the pupil's name, and not locked in a cupboard or office where access is restricted. If a child's pens are being switched to a different brand, tell the school and any workplace first-aiders so everyone knows which device is where.

Where is Emerade's official website?

The Emerade brand is made by Bausch + Lomb, and its website is www.emerade.com. For recall information, the authoritative sources are the MHRA drug device alerts on GOV.UK, which carry the official recall notices and patient advice. Your GP, pharmacist or allergy specialist can also confirm the current position.

How do I tell carers my pens have changed brand?

Update anyone named in your emergency or care plan as soon as the prescription changes, including school staff, workplace first-aiders, family carers and any formal care service. Norfolk's carer emergency plan guidance makes clear you are responsible for keeping your plan up to date whenever the person is prescribed new or different medication. Trainer pens that contain no adrenaline can be ordered from manufacturers' websites so people can practise with the new device.