PHILADELPHIA, PA — The rising cost of the potentially live-saving medication is making it difficult for some families to afford it.
The cost of an EpiPen, used to reverse a potentially deadly allergic reaction, has skyrocketed in the past few months.
Kirsten Hess has an 11-year-old daughter, Madeleine with a life threatening allergy to peanuts and tree nuts, “Which means if she accidentally ingested a little bit of protein of those nuts she could go into anaphylaxis and cause her death.”
Hess makes sure Madeleine always has an EpiPen nearby with its life saving medication.
“Need an EpiPen anywhere she might go, school, at home, at work, any given time could have between 6-8 EpiPens.”
With the recall of a similar drug, the cost of Mylan Pharmaceuticals’ EpiPen has skyrocketed.
Pharmacist Chip Wukitsch says, “They do have a monopoly in the marketplace and since the recall we are seeing the price escalate to a very high price from where it originally was.”
Wukitsch says the price has shot up nearly 200 hundred dollars within the past 6 months..nearly 400 dollars over the past several years, but the formula and active medication has stayed the same.
It now costs nearly 600 bucks for a two shot pack.
“Typically patients are caught off guard as you would imagine.” Says Wukitsch
The company does offer 100 dollar off coupons, but it’s little help to those with high deductibles.
Mylan blames the increase on the changing insurance landscape, saying in statement:
“The change to the industry is not an easy challenge to address, but we recognize the need and are committed to working with customers and payors to find solutions to meet the needs of the patients and families we serve.”
Hess says, “I’m having a hard time understanding how the drug company can allow this to happen. Because it’s not a drug that can make them feel better, it’s something that can truly save their life.”
