The EpiPen

Back to the ideas wall
Who

Sheldon Kaplan, an American Jewish biomedical engineer and a founding member of a synagogue in Maryland.

When

1970s (patent 1977)

Where

Bethesda, Maryland, USA

The EpiPen is a spring-loaded auto-injector that lets anyone quickly deliver a life-saving dose of epinephrine during a severe allergic reaction. It was designed in the 1970s by engineer Sheldon Kaplan, who was Jewish and a founding member of a Maryland synagogue, and who had earlier built emergency medical kits for NASA's Apollo missions.

Part of “The Gifts of the Jews” — verified Jewish contributions to the world, with sources.