Stop the Epipen Price Gouging

[WNYresident]

Stop the Epipen Price Gouging

We ask that there be an investigation and regulation into the 420% (adjusted for inflation!) increase in the price of Epipens since 2004.

Millions of people with severe allergies carry EpiPens to reverse life-threatening allergic reactions.

With this oppressive price increase, many EMT's and families are turning to manual syringes as a cheaper alternative, though doctors and patient advocates warn that its more complicated to get the correct dose of epinephrine and it administer safely with a syringe. Some families will be forced to hang on to expired Epipens, or worse, go without entirely.

There is no discernible reason for the increase other than Mylan's desire to use their monopoly to exploit the need for this life-saving medication for exorbitant profit.

Thank you.

http://www.petition2congress.com/207...price-gouging/

[WNYresident]

Life-Saving Allergy Treatment Is Becoming Too Expensive For Families To Afford

For most parents, back-to-school season means searching for this year’s trendy first-day outfit, stocking up on 3-ring binders, and making sure that summer homework is finished. When it comes to parents of kids with severe allergies, however, there’s an extra task on that list: Re-stocking their EpiPen prescription before their children enter a world where a lethal peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich could be lurking a cafeteria table away.

“Make sure your child always has an EpiPen(R) Auto-Injector within reach,” reads item number 2 on the “Back To School Homework for parents” webpage hosted by the EpiPen brand owner, pharmaceutical company Mylan.

Last year, about 3.6 million prescriptions were written for EpiPens, which expire each year and need to be replaced.

But Mylan has priced this life-saving medication, which can keep airways open during severe allergic reactions, far out of reach for many families. Over the past nine years, since Mylan bought the rights to the EpiPen, the price for the easy-to-use injectors has quintupled — increasing about 450 percent, from around $50 for one injector to $600 for a pack of two

https://thinkprogress.org/life-savin...b39#.9fg7x24dv

[BorderBob]

Over the past nine years, since Mylan bought the rights to the EpiPen....

There it is...capitalism at is very best. Perhaps all there needs to be is more publicity. Martin Shkreli caused a lot of grief with his jacking up the price of cancer drugs.





b.b.

[WNYresident]

This is what happens when one group if given a monopoly. I don't think that is actual capitalism. It is but there is not other product that can compete against it.

[300miles]

This is what happens when one group if given a monopoly. I don't think that is actual capitalism. It is but there is not other product that can compete against it.

How were they given a monopoly?

[WNYresident]

I believe patent lawyers hold the key. Only one company is able to make the product and that's it. That is why prices rise on a product when one entity has a monopoly on it. Just like a monopoly of services like we see in government.