ASCIA Action Plans and First Aid Plans for Anaphylaxis

The ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis is an emergency response plan for severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis). Current ASCIA Action Plans are the General and EpiPen 2021 versions, and the 2022 Anapen version. However, prior versions (2021, 2020 and 2018) are still valid for use in 2022 and 2023. 

ASCIA Action Plans do not expire, and therefore the plan is still valid beyond the recommended review date, which is a guide for patients to see their doctor. For more information about ASCIA Action Plans go to www.allergy.org.au/hp/anaphylaxis/action-plans-for-allergic-reactions-faq

ASCIA Action Plans are medical documents that are completed and signed by the treating doctor or nurse practitioner. A signature is sufficient, ASCIA Action Plans do NOT need to be stamped. To insert a digital photograph and signature, first save as a PDF after typing patient details into the text fields. Alternatively a physical photograph can be glued to the plan and the doctor can use a wet or digital signature.

ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis (RED) for use with EpiPen® adrenaline autoinjectors 2021
ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis (RED) 2021 EpiPen® 

This plan is provided to people with allergies who have been prescribed EpiPen® adrenaline autoinjectors. 

This plan is not for allergic rhinitis (hay fever) due to pollen, dust mite, animals or other inhaled allergens.

pdfASCIA Action Plan Anaphylaxis EpiPen Red 2021

ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis (RED) for use with Anapen adrenaline autoinjectors 2021
ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis (RED) 2022 Anapen®

This plan is provided to people with allergies who have been prescribed Anapen® adrenaline autoinjectors. The TGA has approved Anapen® to be held in place for 3 seconds (reduced from 10 seconds) since September 2022. 

This plan is not for allergic rhinitis (hay fever) due to pollen, dust mite, animals or other inhaled allergens.

pdfASCIA Action Plan Anaphylaxis Anapen Red 2022

ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis (RED) for use with adrenaline autoinjectors 2021
ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis (RED) 2021 General version with QR code 

This plan is provided to people with allergies who have been prescribed any brand of adrenaline injector.  This plan should be printed with the 'ASCIA How to give Adrenaline Injectors' document on the reverse side (see below).

This plan is not for allergic rhinitis (hay fever) due to pollen, dust mite, animals or other inhaled allergens.

pdfASCIA Action Plan Anaphylaxis General Red 2021

How to give adrenaline injectors (Anapen® and EpiPen®)
ASCIA How to give Adrenaline Injectors 2022

This document can be used as a poster, and should be printed on the reverse side of the general versions of the 'ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis' (see above) and 'ASCIA First Aid Plan for Anaphylaxis' (see below). 

pdfASCIA PCC How to give Adrenaline Injectors 2022

ASCIA Action Plan for Allergic Reactions (GREEN)
ASCIA Action Plan for Drug (Medication) Allergy (GREEN) 2021

This plan is provided to people with drug (medication) allergies who are not usually prescribed an adrenaline injector, because accidental exposure to drugs can mostly be avoided. They are usually recommended to wear medical identification, to avoid exposure to drugs used in medical procedures. 

pdfASCIA Action Plan Drug Allergy 2021

ASCIA Action Plan Allergic Reactions Green 2021
ASCIA Action Plan for Allergic Reactions (GREEN) 2021

This plan is provided to people with allergies who have not been prescribed an adrenaline injector. 

This plan is not for allergic rhinitis (hay fever) due to pollen, dust mite, animals or other inhaled allergens.

pdfASCIA Action Plan Allergic Reactions Green 2021

An ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis for use with adrenaline autoinjectors on airlines is available upon request. This plan is should be stored with adrenaline autoinjectors in emergency medical kits on airlines. 

ASCIA First Aid Plans for Anaphylaxis (ORANGE)

Note: These have replaced the general versions of ASCIA Action Plans for Anaphylaxis (ORANGE).

ASCIA First Aid Plans for Anaphylaxis (ORANGE) for use with EpiPen® adrenaline autoinjectors 2021
ASCIA First Aid Plan for Anaphylaxis (ORANGE) 2021 EpiPen®   

This plan can be used as a poster or stored with general use EpiPen® adrenaline autoinjectors.

pdfASCIA First Aid Anaphylaxis EpiPen Orange 2021

ASCIA First Aid Anaphylaxis Orange Anapen 2022 
ASCIA First Aid Plan for Anaphylaxis (ORANGE) 2022 Anapen®   

This plan can be used as a poster or stored with general use Anapen® adrenaline autoinjectors. The TGA has approved Anapen® to be held in place for 3 seconds (reduced from 10 seconds) since September 2022. 

pdfASCIA First Aid Anaphylaxis Anapen Orange 2022

ASCIA First Aid Plans for Anaphylaxis (ORANGE) for use with any brand of adrenaline autoinjectors 2021
ASCIA First Aid Plan for Anaphylaxis (ORANGE) 2021 General version

This plan can be used as a poster or stored with any brand of general use adrenaline injectors. 

pdfASCIA First Aid Anaphylaxis General Orange 2021

ASCIA First Aid Plan for Anaphylaxis ORANGE 2021 Pictorial Poster
ASCIA First Aid Plan for Anaphylaxis (ORANGE) 2021 Pictorial Poster 

The plan is best viewed when printed as an A3 poster.

pdfASCIA First Aid Anaphylaxis Pictorial Orange 2021 poster

For translated versions of ASCIA First Aid for Anaphylaxis go to www.allergy.org.au/hp/anaphylaxis#ta5

For further information about ASCIA Action Plans and other anaphylaxis resources go to www.allergy.org.au/anaphylaxis   

Important information:

  1. ASCIA Action Plans were first developed in 2003 to standardise the recognition of signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis and provide easy to follow steps for the emergency treatment of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. They continue to be used as the standard action plans throughout Australia and New Zealand. The content is regularly reviewed by experts and updated as required. 
  2. ASCIA Action Plans do not expire, and therefore the plan is still valid beyond the review date, which is a guide for patients to see their doctor. Ideally, ASCIA Action Plans should be reviewed when patients are reassessed by their doctor or nurse practitioner, and each time they obtain a new adrenaline injector prescription, which is approximately every 12 to 18 months. If there are no changes in diagnosis or management the medical information on the ASCIA Action Plan may not need to be updated. However, if the patient is a child, the photo should be updated each time, so they can be easily identified.
  3. ASCIA Action Plans for Anaphylaxis can be used for people with food, insect, tick and drug allergies, or any other allergy that can result in a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis).  The plans are not for allergic rhinitis (hay fever) due to pollen, dust mite, animals or other inhaled allergens.
  4. Adrenaline injectors contain a single, fixed dose of adrenaline and are designed to be used by anyone (medical training is not required), or the patient themselves, if they are not too unwell or too young.
  5. It is generally recommended that people who have an adrenaline injector should also wear a medical identification/emergency response emblem, or other medical identification.
  6. ASCIA Action Plans should be used as part of a comprehensive anaphylaxis management plan that includes:
- Age appropriate education of people with allergies and their peers or colleagues. 
- Training in the recognition and management of allergic reactions.
- Development of strategies to reduce the risk of accidental exposure
- An ASCIA Action Plan to be used as an emergency response plan for when exposure to allergens occurs. 

Content updated March 2023

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