Impax spokesman Mark Donohue declined to comment on whether the company would lower Adrenaclick’s list price given the planned cheaper price of Mylan’s generic product.
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Federal lawmakers have said Mylan has a virtual monopoly on the drug, which is administered during times of severe and potentially fatal allergic reactions. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.; Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.; Chris Murphy, D-Conn.; Jack Reed, D-R.I.; Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.; and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., among others.
The company reduced the out-of-pocket costs of EpiPen for some patients last week, but kept the list price at about $600, a move that lawmakers said was not enough. While Teva has to jump through hoops to prove that its version of the device is clinically effective, Mylan can begin selling its generic product as soon as possible.
Those two measures, however, did not stem the public furor, in part because the company kept the list price the same, meaning the overall cost to the health system, mostly borne by insurers and taxpayers, would remain the same.
Following scrutiny Mylan has faced in recent weeks over the high cost of its EpiPen auto-injectors, U.S. Sens.
The authorized generic will be identical to the branded product, including device functionality and drug formulation.
Mylan has defended EpiPen’s high price, saying it spent hundreds of millions of dollars to improve the product since acquiring it in 2007.
“There is no justification for the manufacturer to raise the price by more than 500 percent in less than 10 years”, O’Toole said in a statement.
This change would allow Mylan to rack in nearly 10 percent more money for the generic version than the branded medication, according to the report.
Meanwhile, by introducing its generic, Mylan will set the market price for subsequent competitors.
The news comes as Mylan Pharmaceuticals announced it will release a generic version of the EpiPen later this year that will cost approximately $300 for a pack of two. The letter was also signed by U.S. Sens. They also ask about how Mylan plans to ensure consumers can access the generic, through patient assistance programs or otherwise.
But for patients who are candidates for generic drugs, despite the difference in price, patients may only feel comfortable taking brand name medications.
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Health insurance doesn’t necessarily help all people who need EpiPens, because those with high deductibles must pay almost the total price.
