The cost of EpiPen continues to rise

The EpiPen, for the unfamiliar, is an auto-injector for emergency allergy situations. However, parents discovered during this back-to-school season that they may not be able to afford these life-saving devices.

The Myland pharmaceutical company has raised the prices of the EpiPen by nearly 400%



Cost of EpiPen continues to rise putting burden on people with allergies

The EpiPen is filled with epinephrine, which can counter the effects of a severe allergic reaction. The auto-injector's price has risen by more than 480 percent since 2009. The actual cost of the drug inside the EpiPen is only a couple bucks, reports CBS News correspondent Vinita Nair. So the manufacturer is essentially charging hundreds of dollars for a case -- and a trusted name.

In 2009, pharmacies paid slightly more than $100 for a 2-pack of EpiPens. The price has since skyrocketed to more than $600.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, the former presidential contender and a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, told NBC News in a statement:

"The drug industry's greed knows no bounds. There's no reason an EpiPen, which costs Mylan just a few dollars to make, should cost families more than $600. The only explanation for Mylan raising the price by six times since 2009 is that the company values profits more than the lives of millions of Americans."

the company values profits more than the lives of millions of Americans."

No need to look any further than that. Profit at all costs. They know some need that medicine and are basically holding your very life hostage to their greed.
"You wanna live?...Pay up!"

How many Americans have died because of a lack of an EpiPen?

The lack of deaths, Shows the fear spreading of Sanders at his best.

I will never believe another word coming out of Sander's mouth. His presidential run showed that he is obviously a good soldier and say, do, and take what he is told.

Of course, it's got nothing to do with the low sales volume of epipens, and the cost of insurance on the product.

If it doesn't work in every circumstance, suit. If the person has cardiac issues, suit. If the user doesn't bother to go to the A&E, and the epinephrine wears off and they die of an allergic reaction on the rebound, suit.

Epi is a non-trivial med only given in bad circumstances, with lots of side-effects.

a reply to: TheAmazingYeti

Epipen is just a fancy method if you want an auto-injector, the injections are still available in the old method, my doctor offered them to me when I was having swelling from drug interaction and I didn't have to pay anything for it.

Before epipen it was just an injection kit you carried with you.

I can see that there is a high desire to make the most money you can out of a product. I understand that currency is a necessity regardless of form, but what I DO NOT understand, is how people can get into fields such as medicine, and try to make the most money off of those who are sick, and NEED the medicine. I can understand the high cost of recreational drugs, but not things like this.

Am I wrong? Is it just a matter of having the "right" morals?

It just seems to me like... if you wanted to exploit a product for money, you should join a field where that doesn't impact those in dire need. Literally, lives depend on this (and many other meds that are unfairly priced)

Is there a reasonable explanation for this?

-Alee

Universal healthcare is the answer!

My husband's cousin has a child who has a deadly allergy and needs to carry an epipen with him everywhere. It's easy to minimize it when you don't have a child in that situation, but if you do, you know how scary it is to be without one. This person's child DID almost die the first time they reacted to their allergy. The parent doesn't want to have to go through that again, so is forced to pay the outrageous cost for peace of mind, or be forced to live in fear every day because you can't afford it. That's a horrific situation to put a parent in.

a reply to: TheAmazingYeti

I carry 2-adult and child dosages in my emergency bag daily. For me? I'm supposed to ask(every time) if that patient HAS their own 1st before using mine...as to offset the cost of replacement.Though they are provided by the Fire Dept, I hope I never have to use them...but I can and they will be immediately replaced.

I carry this bag with me home, on vacation...everywhere...especially with more and more people with peanut-type allergies these days...And the issue with financial burden is real for the average person or family.

The big issue with this is the expiration dates....If I dont use them by the exp. date...they get thrown away. And its pretty hard to ask someone having a reaction and cant talk or breathe...if they have their own 1st....just to not have to use mine.

And the expiration dates are a financial big deal for everyone..

MS
EMT/ERT
Advance Life Support

a reply to: Bedlam

Usually when a company encounters low sales they either lower the price of the product or lower production.

They don't jack the price up 400%, that usually puts a company out of business

BUT when you own the monopoly on a product you can do whatever you like with very little risk

One of the problems with patents and corporations when it comes to the whole industry of saving lives where profit is more important than lives saved

Profit, and possibly another way to slow population growth?

Expiration date is the worst part of this drug, my son is allergic to peanuts, i have to buy two every 12 months one for home and one for school, if I dont do this I risk a visit from child services! hasent happened because i always make certain i comply, but i do feel like i am being ripped off and forced to spend money i dont have, money that could be spent of food, mortgate, power bill, ect ect.

anyways my son is now old enough to simply carry the pen with him so ill only buy one from now on. I cant imagine how parents with several kids could afford this scam.

originally posted by: Discotech
a reply to: Bedlam

Usually when a company encounters low sales they either lower the price of the product or lower production.

Usually if they can't amortize the production cost or product liability insurance over lots of units, the price goes up, up, up.

They certainly don't lower the price.

originally posted by: 191stMIDET
Profit, and possibly another way to slow population growth?

How many people do YOU know who are dependent on epipens to not die? 1? Not a particularly good way to slow population growth. And as few epipens as they sell, I'm not sure it's a giant money maker for them either.

originally posted by: Discotech

BUT when you own the monopoly on a product you can do whatever you like with very little risk

One of the problems with patents and corporations when it comes to the whole industry of saving lives where profit is more important than lives saved

There are three vendors. It's a very old product.

a reply to: TheAmazingYeti

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, the former presidential contender and a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, told NBC News in a statement: "The drug industry's greed knows no bounds. There's no reason an EpiPen, which costs Mylan just a few dollars to make, should cost families more than $600. The only explanation for Mylan raising the price by six times since 2009 is that the company values profits more than the lives of millions of Americans."

If Mr. Sanders is a senator, why isn't he doing a damn thing about it...

originally posted by: 191stMIDET
Profit, and possibly another way to slow population growth?

hahaha, this killed me. Where's my pen?

What are you guys paying for epipens, anyway? That $600 each number is patently ridiculous.

originally posted by: Bedlam
What are you guys paying for epipens, anyway? That $600 each number is patently ridiculous.

These are $113 to $158 each depending on what manufacturer. Monopoly by Mylan? Hardly. There are 4 companies that make these. Mylan, Pfizer, Jext and MEDA.

Sounds like a badly researched article or intentional for their agenda.

originally posted by: Orionx2

originally posted by: Bedlam
What are you guys paying for epipens, anyway? That $600 each number is patently ridiculous.

These are $113 to $158 each depending on what manufacturer. Monopoly by Mylan? Hardly. There are 4 companies that make these. Mylan, Pfizer, Jext and MEDA.

Sounds like a badly researched article or intentional for their agenda.

Yah - I can get them for $130 without a prescription. It's $99 with, no insurance. Grant you, a bit stiff but nothing you couldn't pony up twice a year.

originally posted by: Bedlam

originally posted by: Discotech
a reply to: Bedlam

Usually when a company encounters low sales they either lower the price of the product or lower production.

Usually if they can't amortize the production cost or product liability insurance over lots of units, the price goes up, up, up.

They certainly don't lower the price.

Do you have any data or sources for your claims that production cost or product liability insurance are the reason for price increases?