We all know how expensive healthcare can be, and not just healthcare but medications as well. From insulin to blood pressure medications to asthma medications, the list goes on and on. Oftentimes, people take medications to prevent life threatening events. As a nurse I've seen hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), asthma attacks, and even allergic reactions. When such events occur, what do medical professionals do? More often than not, they administer some form of medication to stop the event in its tracks. Again, more often than not, people are then prescribed medications to prevent future events from happening. My grandmother is a diabetic and needs insulin. In addition to vial insulin she needs insulin pens. Between both, she spends around $500 on that and other various medications.
In a recent news story published in "The Daily News", it was made public that the cost of an Epi-pen has gone up 500 percent. Nine years ago the price was $68, and as of May 2016 the price is $608. Five hundred percent price increase? It's hard to fathom a percentage like that even existing when talking about things in the real world. For those who don't know, an Epi-pen is an inject-able pen filled with epinephrine. Epinephrine is a medication that during an allergic reaction will stop the throat from closing and allow the person to have time to make it to a hospital/emergency center. In plain English, these pens save lives. If someone suffering a severe reaction did not use their Epi-pen they would without a shadow of a doubt die. Anaphylaxis is a life threatening allergic reaction. So why is it now costing someone $608 to stay alive?
The rumor regarding the price increase is of course a rumor that centers around greed. The greed of a medication company, the greed of a CEO. That the higher-ups of these companies are pocketing any extra money coming from the increase in price of this medication. Rumors are ugly things, since they're often not true, and rumors paint people/companies to be monsters, villains. Do you know what's uglier than rumors? The truth. Do you know why? The truth is often far worse than any rumor someone can imagine.
Another horrible fact about these instances - and this happens A LOT - is that medications that become too expensive for their patients to buy, will stop being picked up. What happens when medications that are necessary for bodily functions don't get taken? Yes! You guessed it. People will die. Complications will occur that will cause severe bodily harm to the people, if not death. That being said, with the Epi-Pen, if they are continued to be sold at the exorbitant price that it is, people will stop buying them, which means they won't be using them, which means they will die.
As a nurse, I took an oath to care for my patients, to be an advocate and an educator. The problem is my patients aren't the ones who need educating. These companies do. They need to be educated on the fact that these names on a paper, or ID insurance numbers are people. These people are not millionaires. Some of the people work two to three jobs, have children, and through no fault of their own have a reaction to something that can kill them. What if, one day the parent of one of these children whose allergic to peanuts who needs an Epi-pen loses their job? Even with a steady job who can afford a two pack of pens for $608? So when someone who has bills and commitments cannot afford this Epi-pen, what do they do? Avoid their allergy as best they can? What happens if and when they accidentally encounter it?
Multiple senators have inquired about the accelerating prices. I, as well as thousands of other people, are hoping that this will change. Last time we all checked, life should be valued at a higher price than greed or bank accounts. According to Gordon Gekko "Greed...is good." Unfortunately, this is a mantra being used in this situation. It's horrible, but more important than that, it's sad.
