May is Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - May 1, 2012) -

Editors Note: There is a photo associated with this press release.

Spring has sprung. And with it...allergy and asthma season! This May the Canadian MedicAlert Foundation is reminding Canadians to make sure they're prepared in case of emergency.

To mark MedicAlert Month

MedicAlert is introducing a limited edition Roots Ladies Cuff in MedicAlert Signature Red. Made with genuine leather and featuring your choice of a sterling silver or stainless steel emblem. The cuff is available beginning May 1, 2012 while supplies last and starts at $49 - visit www.MedicAlert.ca or visit us on Facebook.

How MedicAlert can help during an allergy emergency:

While it might not be possible to escape getting stung by a bee or having an anaphylactic reaction this spring, with MedicAlert it is possible for members to have a little less worry knowing that they have a voice, even if they can't speak.

• Only MedicAlert has a staff of medical professionals trained to analyze all of the health information provided and propose the critical elements to inscribe on the ID. This ensures that the MedicAlert ID clearly communicates a member's most important medical condition(s) or special needs.
  
  
• Only MedicAlert goes beyond what's engraved on the ID and is linked to a 24/7 hotline. This gives emergency responders immediate access to a member's full medical profile - which could include any other allergens that the member may have sensitivity to, medications they could be taking, or other information that can be critical to their treatment.
  
  
• Only MedicAlert provides a Family Notification service. This ensures that, no matter where the member is, their loved ones will be kept up-to-date during an emergency and have peace of mind knowing they can depend on MedicAlert to be their loved one's voice.
  
  

MedicAlert Asthma and Allergy Member Trends

More than half of MedicAlert members (which is nearly 600,000 Canadians) protect themselves with the lifesaving service because they have at least one allergy.

The three most common allergens experienced by MedicAlert members are:

1. Penicillin
2. Sulfa
3. Peanuts

Among children under 14, the most common allergens are peanuts and nuts.

When it comes to food allergies peanuts and nuts are the most prevalent, while surprisingly kiwi is also high on the list!

While more have food and drug allergies than seasonal allergies, more than 37,000 members have seasonal and environmental allergies (including environmental inhalants, dust, mould, pollen, grasses, ragweed, hay fever, tree pollen and smoke).

When it comes to sitting by a campfire, or enjoying a picnic more than 14,000 members have serious allergies to bee and wasp stings, while a further 700 have rare anaphylactic reactions to mosquito bites.

Asthma is one of the fastest growing conditions in Canada and is most common in children. Within the last 4 years, MedicAlert has noticed a 30%+ increase in members under age 20 with asthma.

About the Canadian MedicAlert Foundation

The Canadian MedicAlert Foundation is the largest membership-based registered charity in Canada and has been the provider of emergency medical information services to more than one million Canadians for 50 years.

While there are a number of medical ID devices on the market, only MedicAlert is supported by a unique 24/7 emergency hotline service staffed with medical professionals ready to provide information and recognize conflicting treatments and medications that could put your care at risk.

The Foundation's services include electronic health records, a state-of-the-art secure database, a 24-hour emergency hotline for EMS personnel and customized identification products. Learn more about MedicAlert, how it works and how you or a loved one can become a member at MedicAlert.ca or by calling 1-866-679-3166.

To view the photo associated with this press release, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/Roots.jpg.

To view the MedicAlert Member Trend Report, please visit the following link: http://file.marketwire.com/release/MedicAlert.pdf.