SJP-whose son, James Wilkie, uses an EpiPen for his peanut allergy-had been involved in an initiative with Mylan to raise awareness for anaphylaxis, potentially life-threatening allergic reactions that the EpiPen (and the medicine it delivers, epinephrine) are created to combat.
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EpiPen’s big price tag – which has grown dramatically in recent years – is now drawing the ire of consumers and politicians who are outraged at what they see as gouging by EpiPen’s owner, Mylan.
Instead of a price cut, Mylan said it was expanding programs that help people pay for EpiPens or give them out free. He said a little competition would go a long way. Mylan also is doubling the eligibility for its patient assistance program, which will eliminate out-of-pocket costs for uninsured and under-insured patients and families as well. Those who pay full price will get $300 off.
Investigators wanted to know how easy and affordable it would be to get the EpiPen in Canada.
Shares in Mylan were down almost 2 percent at $42.40 in mid-afternoon trading, after having lost almost 11 percent over two sessions after the furor broke out over EpiPen.
Mylan just injected some adrenaline into the USA healthcare debate.
Relief could come sooner from Imprimis Pharmaceuticals, a compounding pharmacy that prepares medicines to fill individual prescriptions.
But the drugmaker didn’t budge on its price hikes Thursday, which have drawn ire both in Congress and from families that have had to shell out increasingly large sums for the potentially life-saving treatment.
That is $105 US $210 for two.
“If they touch where someone else has been eating pizza, they’re going to break out in hives, eyes swell shut, that kind of thing”, said Connell.
“I recently learned that the price of EpiPen has been systematically raised by Mylan to a point that renders the medication cost-prohibitive to most people”, Parker wrote.
West Virginia Democratic Senator Joe Manchin is Heather Bresch’s father.
It’s a lifesaving drug Dr. William Ebbeling prescribes to hundreds of patients and now he’s afraid the cost of the EpiPen will leave those with bug and especially food allergies even more vulnerable.
EpiPen prices have increased 400 percent in recent years. He’s allergic to eggs and all nuts.
“These don’t actually do anything about the price itself, because the high price is still being paid by the insurer, which then ends up being reflected in increasing premiums”, Kesselheim said.
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The White House took a more cautious tone in criticizing rising drug costs, refusing to comment on the decisions of an individual company.
