Where Does It Stop? Mylan Pharmaceuticals’ EpiPen Profiteering
The number of people in the U.S. with food allergies is skyrocketing. 15 million Americans, 6 million of which are children now have food allergies. A life-threatening food allergic reaction now sends someone to the E.R. once every three minutes in the U.S.
For someone with a food allergy or who is allergic to insect bites as well, an EpiPen can mean the difference between life and death. An EpiPen is an injectable form of epinephrine which is the ONLY lifesaving medication available at this time that can quickly reverse an allergic reaction.
The price of this lifesaving medication has been skyrocketing in the past few years leaving many worrying how or if they will be able to even carry something that is their only form of life support if there was to be an allergic reaction. I have heard story after story of parents who went to pick up their Epipens and how drastically the price had changed from the last refill from approximately $50 to now over $700. That is with insurance. That is outrageous. Some families have more than one person with allergies and need to get several sets. How can anyone be expected to be able to afford this?
No one should have to decide between whether they can afford to have a lifesaving medication, feeding their family or paying their rent/mortgage. I’m a mother who lost their child to a food allergy. I cannot tell anyone enough how very important is it to be able to have epinephrine with you everywhere, you need Epipens everywhere you go. You are supposed to carry TWO with you at all times. You need them for school, childcare, grandparents, etc.
Epinephrine is the only LIFESAVING medication available and it is criminal that a company knowing that one needs this to stay alive can make it completely inaccessible to so many because of greed. When Mylan is paying out BILLIONS in salaries to their top executives and leaving us breaking piggy banks to help kids alive
Something needs to be done. They need to be stopped. How can a life be measured in $$$? How can they not care? What can we do? It is time we all do what we can now!!!