The EpiPen, for some it is a life saver and for most it is a wallet drainer. The EpiPen is manufactured by Mylan pharmaceuticals. The EpiPen delivers a lifesaving counter drug called epinephrine that can save the life of someone in anaphylactic shock. The EpiPen has risen in price dramatically over the last five years. The Epipen has gone from one hundred dollars in 2009 to six hundred dollars in 2016. This price crisis has been exacerbated by the new school year, where parents of children with life threatening allergies must send their child to school with a new Epipen (the Epipen only has a one year shelf life). For many families it is an unavoidable burden they must bear.
While the price of the brand name EpiPen continues to rise, there is hope for families for alternative products. In Canada the EpiPen is only about 145 dollars as compared to hundreds in the United States. Many Americans are turning to online Canadian pharmacies. While this may seem like an easy solution, it's important to know that the only way to get an EpiPen from Canada is to get a prescription.
Mylan offers manufacturer coupons for families that purchase more than one pack of EpiPens, still even with the coupons an EpiPen pack will run about three hundred dollars. This is still a high price to pay, and continues to burden many families.
Another possible alternative is the Adrenaclick. The Adrenaclick is not as popular with doctors because the directions for the Adrenaclick are different from the EpiPen (avoid possible misuse or confusion when using). While this could be another solution, the Adrenaclick is still a very expensive option. The Adrenaclick can still cost up to four hundred dollars.
While for the time being it seems that Mylan pharmaceuticals is simply lining their pockets, they have stated that they are going to release a cheaper generic product. This generic product will deliver the exact same medication in the exact same way, but will be about half the price. This means that even as a generic the epinephrine auto-injector can still cost around three hundred dollars.
As a pharmacy intern, I have seen parents struggle with the rising cost of the EpiPen. Even with coupon codes and manufacturer discounts, the EpiPen is still very expensive. Because the EpiPen is only used in emergencies, often times they just sit on a self and expire. With the rising cost some families simply cannot bear the financial burden and are settling for the dangerous alternative of Benadryl. The EpiPen is lifesaving and a necessity for many families, and the persistent rising cost threatens the lives of people across the country.
