# How can drug co. justify this?



## Pappy (Aug 22, 2016)

A product, according to last nights news, that cost about a dollar to produce, is really socking it to us again. The hell of it is, they do it right out in the open and no one can do a thing about it.


As parents check off items on the back-to-school list, many are suffering sticker shock at the price increase for EpiPens, potentially lifesaving devices that counter an allergic reaction — and that now cost more than $600.

Several factors have contributed to the pinch patients are feeling: There is no generic equivalent for EpiPens, the only competitor was taken off the market last year, and changes to high-deductible insurance plans mean much higher out-of-pocket costs for many, experts say.
A prescription cost $57 in 2007. Now sold in packages of two, EpiPens cost more than $600 for the two-pack, even though a dose of the drug itself costs less than $2, North Jersey physicians say.
“More and more parents are complaining over the last month that the cost of EpiPens has gone through the roof, making it very difficult,” said Dr. David Nam*erow, a Fair Lawn pediatrician.
“They seem to be taking advantage of the most vulnerable kids with food allergies, and the parents have no alternative,” he said.
The device allows a person to inject a dose of epinephrine — also known as adrenaline — into the thigh to stop a potentially life-threatening reaction to peanuts, eggs, other foods or insect bites. The severe reaction is known as anaphylaxis. Symptoms include swelling of the lips or tongue, shortness of breath, wheezing, dizziness and worse.
On Saturday, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., called on the Senate Judiciary Committee to hold hearings on the price increase.
“Patients all over the U.S. rely on these products, including my own daughter,” Klobuchar said in a statement. “Not only should the Judiciary Committee hold a hearing, the Federal Trade Commission should investigate these price increases immediately.
Up to 6 percent of children have food allergies, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Studies show that up to 18 percent of children with food allergies have had a reaction after accidentally eating allergens at school, according to the CDC. Four percent of adults have food allergies.
The number of children affected is growing. The prevalence increased by 18 percent between 1997 and 2007, according to the CDC. Nearly nine in 10 schools nationally had one or more students with food allergies.
Many parents keep one EpiPen at home and send the other to school with their child. At a middle school in Ridgewood, for example, 27 EpiPens are kept in the nurse’s office — each needing to be replaced as the medication expires, said Dr. Patricia Hicks, an allergy expert at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood.
“Parents are furious” over the cost increase, said Hicks, who also practices in Ho-Ho-Kus.
“In the last week I wrote 30 prescriptions for my patients returning to school,” she said. “Many of them need more than two.”
“How do they justify this,” Hicks asked, when the drug isn’t new?
It’s a conundrum in medicine pricing today: Even when a drug has been available for years and hasn’t been approved for any new use, costs can increase significantly. Hicks cites the increase in the price of insulin — it’s been around for decades, yet some drug companies have increased wholesale prices by more than 160 percent in the past five years, according to a 2015 Bloomberg Health Report.
A spokeswoman for Mylan, the manufacturer of EpiPens, would not comment directly on the price increases, but released a statement Friday.
“Mylan has worked tirelessly over the past years advocating for increased anaphylaxis awareness, preparedness and access to treatment for those living with potentially life-threatening allergies,” the statement said.
“Given the unpredictable and life-threatening nature of anaphylaxis, nothing is more costly than failed or no treatment.’’
The company said it provided coupons to reduce costs, and that last year nearly 80 percent of commercially insured patients paid nothing for a prescription.
Insurance companies increasingly are offering high-deductible plans, and research shows that such plans represent the only option for employees of more than one in five companies. Insurers note that when consumers select plans, they often opt for higher deductibles in exchange for the benefit of lower premiums.
Dr. Evelyn Hermes-DeSantis, a clinical professor at the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy at Rutgers University, attributed the price increases for EpiPens to the virtual monopoly Mylan has on the drug. After a competitor voluntarily pulled its product from the market last October because of dosing problems, that left only Adrena*click, a device that delivers the same drug as EpiPen but that is harder to use.
The FDA doesn’t consider Adrenaclick “therapeutically equiv*alent,” so doctors won’t write the prescriptions unless patients ask for it, and insurers may not pay, physicians say. At around $400 for two devices, “it’s cheaper but it’s still pricey,” Hermes-DeSantis said. A generic version of Adrenaclick is available, but the same issues over ease of delivery of the medication are a factor, she said.
A spokesman for Impact Laboratories, the drug maker that produces Adrenaclick, said the devices are produced manually and the supply is limited. “We are investing in automation,” said Mark Donohue, a vice president and spokes*man. “We’re trying to produce as much as we can, and it’s a lower-cost option.”
Dr. Mary Ann Michelis, chief |of allergy and immunology for *pediatrics and internal medicine |at Hackensack University Medical Center, acknowledged that drug makers “can charge whatever |they want,” and that she had |heard complaints from many patients.
“The second factor here is the absurd charges by insurance companies through their deductible policies,” Michelis said. “You have relatively young people and the cheapest insurance they can get has deductibles from $1,500 up to several thousands of dollars. There is no way a healthy kid is going to eat up that deductible, so parents are paying the full cost.”


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## Carla (Aug 22, 2016)

That is such an outrage. That is why insurance keeps going up. Then there is more out of pocket for the patient. I think they should make it a crime to do something like that. That they hold a monopoly on the drug is troubling. To raise the price of a drug to make up for other losses in a company seems unethical to me.


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## QuickSilver (Aug 22, 2016)

Yeah... but any regulations suggested against the drug companies and their pricing is fought tooth an nail in Washington..  (I'm not naming which party as this is not the political forum)   Guess we just have to pay it.  we are at their mercy.


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## fureverywhere (Aug 22, 2016)

I know the conservative ideal of lift yourself up by your boot straps. But just really besides being outrageously unethical...Put yourself in the position of you are retired and on fixed income. Your grand child has potentially life threatening allergic reactions. He or she might need an Epi-Pen or three throughout the school year. Of course you have an extra $1500 floating around to help out...or you don't, and his parents don't, and the family makes way too much for Medicaid or other assistance.

I mean you can leaf through all the savings and assistance plans and hopefully find something that suits your needs. But I feel Big Pharm should be cracked down and strictly regulated. You've got demons like Shkreli profiting off people's lives.


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## Don M. (Aug 22, 2016)

I got stung badly by a nest of yellowjackets a few years ago, and the wife called an ambulance.  When the paramedics arrived, they gave me a couple of Benadryl pills, which quickly knocked down the dizziness and swelling.  They also recommended that I keep an EpiPen in the house, just in case.  I bought two of them, and paid probably no more than $100 for the pair....and that was perhaps 6 or 7 years ago.  To see this drug company now trying to get over $600 for a single dose is almost Criminal.  If our government had any "cahones", it would step in and fine this company a good solid 7 or 8 figures.


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## Ed Mashburn (Aug 22, 2016)

Good evening to all- Lord, is this a hot-topic with me.
I am on several long-term- that means the rest of my life- meds. they work very well, and very grateful for them, I am.
Two of them are now in generic forms- they cost me $6 per refill. the other is still under patent protection, and it's up in the hundreds per refill.
So, how can the drug companies make it on $6 generic forms and yet other meds cost so much?
Because the drug companies are damned robbers- that's how.  All of their fancy TV ads and such that show how nice they are for all of us poor sick people- garbage!
Drug companies are huge money-making companies and the ONLY thing they are concerned with is the profit margins on their meds.  
Yes, the pharm companies have us by the whatevers- when you're sick, you have to have the meds, and you'll do whatever it takes to get it.
But the pharm companies are in it for the money- not for the people.
The only business entities worse than the pharms are the insurance companies. And isn't an odd thing how these two businesses- insurance and pharms- costs have both skyrocketed at the same time? Almost makes you think there's connection, now doesn't it?
Good evening to all- Ed


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## fureverywhere (Aug 22, 2016)

I'm just curious about the legal side of it. I mean life-saving medications, psych meds, everyday pills that can keep various conditions from getting worse...isn't there *ANY *regulation on pricing? I mean hey you might die or end up in a padded room because you can't afford the $500 markup on your prescription...well sucks to be you. Aren't there any political figures that could changes something?


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## SeaBreeze (Aug 22, 2016)

They just had a report about this on TV Pappy.


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## Carla (Aug 22, 2016)

Pharmaceutical companies spend millions of dollars for federal lobbying and campaign funding. I'm sure that has a lot to do with it. Hard to smack the hand of those greasing your palms.


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## Don M. (Aug 22, 2016)

Carla said:


> Pharmaceutical companies spend millions of dollars for federal lobbying and campaign funding. I'm sure that has a lot to do with it. Hard to smack the hand of those greasing your palms.



Not only do drug companies spend millions/yr. greasing the politicians pockets, but they also spend 100's of millions/yr. advertising their junk on TV.  Presently, an average commercial on national TV costs over $300,000 per spot.  So anyone taking these drugs can be secure in the knowledge that when they see an "ask your doctor" ad on TV, they, the patient, are helping pay for that commercial.  

Now, CNBC just announced today that Medicare Part B premiums will be going up an average of about 16% in 2017...and the COLA is expected to be only .2%...so the average SS recipient will probably see a net loss of about $40 a month in 2017,  That, plus a collapse of Obamacare in more and more markets, and expected increases of anywhere from 10 to 50% in most current private health care insurance plans, should be a clear signal that our present system is headed for serious problems...and not very far into the future.


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## Carla (Aug 22, 2016)

Yes, Don. Pharm companies have plenty to spend. This is why nothing is done when they pull these stunts. A 500% markup is obscene, in my view, but with their lobbying efforts and PAC's, hard to come down on them without appearing disloyal. They make large campaign contributions! I doubt the senate hearing will go anywhere. I'm a bit of a cynic but my feelings, it's for show. They should all be ashamed of themselves.


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## QuickSilver (Aug 23, 2016)

It would seem to me that a small start up drug company could begin producing epi-pens or some variation and selling them a the original price..  They would be very profitable.. and would stick it to big Pharma  once their patents run out in 2025...  I guess we are stuck with the $500 cost until then.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/274...ould-give-these-2-stocks-a-jolt-of-adrenaline


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## Bobw235 (Aug 23, 2016)

Once again an example of how money in politics combined with the lack of term limits on members of congress has combined to allow Big Pharma to screw families. This all has to do with boosting profits and thus share price, to which CEO performance is usually tied. Until we get much of the money/lobbying out of politics, nothing will change.


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## Shalimar (Aug 23, 2016)

Is there any way Americans can order them from Canada? They cost around $125.00.


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## Pappy (Aug 23, 2016)

Shalimar said:


> Is there any way Americans can order them from Canada? They cost around $125.00.



Im sure we can, Shalimar. I order several drugs from Canada with my doctors help.


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## Shalimar (Aug 23, 2016)

Pappy, the price I quoted came from Canada Drug Superstore.com. It was the cheapest I could find. Another place charged over two hundred dollars.


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## Pappy (Aug 23, 2016)

I use North Drug store. I get my Symicort, for COPD, there at about half the cost here. My wife gets her Zetia at a different Canandian store.


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## Shalimar (Aug 23, 2016)

I was amazed at the difference between what epipens cost in America as opposed to here.


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## QuickSilver (Aug 23, 2016)

I get some things thru Mexico..


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## Don M. (Aug 23, 2016)

Carla said:


> Yes, Don. Pharm companies have plenty to spend. This is why nothing is done when they pull these stunts. A 500% markup is obscene, in my view, but with their lobbying efforts and PAC's, hard to come down on them without appearing disloyal. They make large campaign contributions! I doubt the senate hearing will go anywhere. I'm a bit of a cynic but my feelings, it's for show. They should all be ashamed of themselves.



A person taking a drug costing $100 here, can go to Canada or Mexico, and get the same drug for not much more than Half that price.  This should be telling our politicians something.  If our government REALLY cared about health care and its costs, they would convene a study to look at what is working for the people in other nations, and begin to phase in many of the other nations policies.  Over a period of 5 or 10 years, our system could equal those in other nations, and we would All be far better off.  As it stands now. millions of our people cannot afford to get the health care they need, and that number is growing every year.  The ONLY ones who are reaping the benefits of health care here, are the corporations, and our Health Care Industry.  At least they are finally telling us the truth....we used to have a Medical Profession...but now it is called the Health Care Industry, and the Primary objective of Any Industry is to Make Money.  

However, we cannot place All of the blame on this Industry.  Our own people are NOT taking steps to insure their own good health.  The CDC statistics show that at least 30% of our costs are related to Obesity.  When you add in things like smoking and alcoholism, half our costs could be prevented if people took some responsibility for their own well being.


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## QuickSilver (Aug 23, 2016)

People in other countries with reasonable HC systems smoke, drink and are fat too..


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## Carla (Aug 23, 2016)

Don M. said:


> A person taking a drug costing $100 here, can go to Canada or Mexico, and get the same drug for not much more than Half that price.  This should be telling our politicians something.  If our government REALLY cared about health care and its costs, they would convene a study to look at what is working for the people in other nations, and begin to phase in many of the other nations policies.  Over a period of 5 or 10 years, our system could equal those in other nations, and we would All be far better off.  As it stands now. millions of our people cannot afford to get the health care they need, and that number is growing every year.  The ONLY ones who are reaping the benefits of health care here, are the corporations, and our Health Care Industry.  At least they are finally telling us the truth....we used to have a Medical Profession...but now it is called the Health Care Industry, and the Primary objective of Any Industry is to Make Money.
> 
> However, we cannot place All of the blame on this Industry.  Our own people are NOT taking steps to insure their own good health.  The CDC statistics show that at least 30% of our costs are related to Obesity.  When you add in things like smoking and alcoholism, half our costs could be prevented if people took some responsibility for their own well being.



Allergy is something not caused by any of the above. I blame our politicians for not agreeing on a method of regulation. I blame the system for allowing the lobbyists to have so much influence over our country. I blame the system for allowing huge campaign contributions by large corporations influence our lawmakers and candidates. Place blame where it belongs. We don't deserve to have to pay $600 for a product costing a dollar to make, that is ludicrous.


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## QuickSilver (Aug 23, 2016)

I blame the Citizen's United Ruling.  The most detrimental assault on our democracy the Supreme Court has ever ruled.  Unfortunately, to overturn it, we need a Constitutional amendment, initiated by Congress.  Does anyone see that happening so long as everyone has their hands in the lobbyists pockets.. and their re-election depends on campaign contributions?    Fat chance.


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## Don M. (Aug 23, 2016)

QuickSilver said:


> People in other countries with reasonable HC systems smoke, drink and are fat too..



That's right....BUT the U.S. has the largest population of Obese in the world.  It seems that everywhere I go, I see gobs of people waddling around like a beached Walrus...they load their grocery carts with snacks, beer and soda pop, and then wonder why they are taking 6 drugs a day, and filling their calendar with doctor visits.  We have the Dumbest health care system in the world, IMO, AND we have millions of people who are destroying their health, and costing us 10's of billions per year, needlessly.  This chart may give you some insight.....

http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/stats/Health/Obesity


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## Butterfly (Aug 23, 2016)

Don M. said:


> That's right....BUT the U.S. has the largest population of Obese in the world.  It seems that everywhere I go, I see gobs of people waddling around like a beached Walrus...they load their grocery carts with snacks, beer and soda pop, and then wonder why they are taking 6 drugs a day, and filling their calendar with doctor visits.  We have the Dumbest health care system in the world, IMO, AND we have millions of people who are destroying their health, and costing us 10's of billions per year, needlessly.  This chart may give you some insight.....
> 
> http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/stats/Health/Obesity



Nevertheless, this does NOT justify gouging and price fixing by pharmaceutical companies.

According to news I heard yesterday, there's a generic available, but the FDA has blocked its release to the market.  I'd like to know the true scoop on that, and why it has been blocked, if it's true.

Now that we've just had one big drug company, Pfizer, I think it is, buying out another, I think we can expect prices of their drugs to go up, too.


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## Don M. (Aug 23, 2016)

Butterfly said:


> Nevertheless, this does NOT justify gouging and price fixing by pharmaceutical companies.
> 
> According to news I heard yesterday, there's a generic available, but the FDA has blocked its release to the market.  I'd like to know the true scoop on that, and why it has been blocked, if it's true.
> 
> Now that we've just had one big drug company, Pfizer, I think it is, buying out another, I think we can expect prices of their drugs to go up, too.



That's right....We have TWO problems in this nation....as I see it.  First, we have a Health Care System that is motivated mostly by MONEY, and Second, we have a population that refuses to follow proper personal health care habits.  This combination is quickly leading us ALL to a point where rising costs are going to become a major financial hardship for a major portion of the entire population.  Health Care in the US, already consumes almost 18% of the nations GDP, and this is nearly double that of nearly every other nation.  If we are EVER going to get these costs down to a reasonable level, it will take a major overhaul of our current system, AND a change of lifestyle for millions of our people.


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## Carla (Aug 23, 2016)

Don M. said:


> That's right....We have TWO problems in this nation....as I see it.  First, we have a Health Care System that is motivated mostly by MONEY, and Second, we have a population that refuses to follow proper personal health care habits.  This combination is quickly leading us ALL to a point where rising costs are going to become a major financial hardship for a major portion of the entire population.  Health Care in the US, already consumes almost 18% of the nations GDP, and this is nearly double that of nearly every other nation.  If we are EVER going to get these costs down to a reasonable level, it will take a major overhaul of our current system, AND a change of lifestyle for millions of our people.



I think your reasoning may be a bit off. Blaming the victim in this case does not justify these types of increases. While some may benefit from lifestyle choices, many illnesses develop from genetic predisposition. Of course the insurance companies want to blame everybody and everything for inflated pricing. Not everyone is overweight, and many people that need medication have not lived an unhealthy lifestyle. There should be no guilt or blame to getting sick or needing medication. Would we really want someone coming up with an excuse to prevent us from receiving treatment? Oh, you're overweight and this is why you have high blood pressure or diabetes. Lots of people are but many are not. Oh, you don't eat right, that is why your cholesterol is high. Yeah? Some of it is genetic and there could be other reasons. Since eliminating gluten from my diet, my numbers are good. Before that, dr had me on cholesterol meds that caused many side effects.                                                              

They are doing this for TWO REASONS - it's because they CAN and because they are greedy. Don't buy into their charts and excuses. It's a business and as long as they can do this and get away with it, they will. BTW--if everyone were to be more health conscious and need less medicines, do you think their business would be more profitable? No, I think what they are doing is immoral.


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## fureverywhere (Aug 23, 2016)

I would be willing to order from Canada, but how do you know what companies are reputable? I'm looking for Seroquel 100mg. Effexor too if I can find it ( 150 and 75 mg) The US prices for a month of each is over $100.


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## QuickSilver (Aug 23, 2016)

fureverywhere said:


> I would be willing to order from Canada, but how do you know what companies are reputable? I'm looking for Seroquel 100mg. Effexor too if I can find it ( 150 and 75 mg) The US prices for a month of each is over $100.



You would be buying the exact same drug.. produced by the same company ... only a lot cheaper..  They only like to gouge Americans


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## Pappy (Aug 23, 2016)

The latest info I could find about salary of CEO of Mylan Epi-pen, Robert Coury, was a 2013 report. His pay then was $10,613.00 per year.. There may be a new officer now, and of course a larger salary. 
The reason I bring this up is because, on the ABC news tonight, they reported that he, the CEO, will be getting a large increase in salary this year.
Bend over folks, this is just the beginning.


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## Jackie22 (Aug 23, 2016)

You are correct, Pappy, I ran across this earlier...


[h=1]Mylan Execs Gave Themselves Raises As They Hiked EpiPen Prices[/h]*Mylan Execs Gave Themselves Raises As They Hiked EpiPen Prices* 
by BEN POPKEN 

EpiPen prices aren't the only thing to jump at Mylan. Executive salaries have also seen a stratospheric uptick. 

Proxy filings show that from 2007 to 2015, Mylan CEO Heather Bresch's total compensation went from *$2,453,456 to $18,931,068*, a *671 percent increase*. During the same period, the company raised EpiPen prices, with the average wholesale price going from $56.64 to $317.82, a 461 percent increase, according to data provided by Connecture. 

In 2007 the company bought the rights to EpiPen, a device used to provide emergency epinephrine to stop a potentially fatal allergic reaction and began raising its price. In 2008 and 2009, Mylan raised the price by 5 percent. At the end of 2009 it tried out a 19 percent hike. The years 2010-2013 saw a succession of 10 percent price hikes. 

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/con...elves-raises-they-hiked-epipen-prices-n636591


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## Carla (Aug 23, 2016)

Hope they can sleep at night.


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## QuickSilver (Aug 24, 2016)

http://usuncut.com/class-war/pharma-ceo-epipen/


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## Sassycakes (Aug 24, 2016)

I think it is disgusting to raise the price on a life saving drug. Of course that isn't the only thing that makes me sick about the drug companies.I can't believe the drug companies don't have a cure for cancer,but would lose too much money if they revealed it. I think about when I was growing up and  they found something to stop Polio. Now how many years have people been dying from Cancer and still no cure.It's all about the money !


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## Jackie22 (Aug 25, 2016)

[h=1]EpiPen maker lowers price after uproar[/h]Source: *The Hill*

By Peter Sullivan - 08/25/16 08:49 AM EDT 

The maker of EpiPens announced Thursday that it is reducing the price of the device following an uproar in Washington over the cost of the treatment for serious allergic reactions. 

Mylan, the company that makes EpiPens, said it will provide a savings card worth up to $300 for people who had been paying the full out-of-pocket cost, effectively reducing the cost by 50 percent. 
The company is also doubling the eligibility for its patient assistance program, which eliminates out-of-pocket costs for uninsured and underinsured people. 

"We have been a long-term, committed partner to the allergy community and are taking immediate action to help ensure that everyone who needs an EpiPen® Auto-Injector gets one,” CEO Heather Bresch said in a statement. 

The move comes one day after Hillary Clinton denounced the company for hiking the cost of EpiPens 400 percent in recent years. Lawmakers on Capitol Hill had also sounded the alarm, sending letters to the company and to the Food and Drug Administration pressing for answers. 

-snip-

Read more: http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/293273-epipen-maker-lowers-price-in-response-to-uproar


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## SeaBreeze (Aug 25, 2016)

Hopefully this price insanity will be stopped or at least slowed down.  More here. 




> *Clinton, Congress take aim at EpiPen price hikes*
> 
> 
> It’s not just consumers who are crying foul; candidates and elected officials have also taken a keen interest of late. The _Wall Street Journal_reported late yesterday:Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton jumped into the fray over rapid price increases for the EpiPen, a life-saving injection for people who are having severe allergic reactions.
> ...


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## WhatInThe (Aug 25, 2016)

With many schools and other organizations keeping epi pens on hand the price should be regulated, not discounted with psuedo club card or discount. If Mylan is going to take government money they should take what the government and people are willing to pay. Private sales and prescription plans are another story. It's older knowledge though, kind of late to use the r & d excuse.


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## Jackie22 (Aug 25, 2016)

[h=1]EpiPen maker’s stock value drops nearly $3 billion in 5 days as investors panic[/h]Mylan Pharmaceuticals — the company behind the price gouging of the EpiPen — is experiencing serious karmic retribution in the stock market. 

In just five days, Mylan’s stock has tanked by 12.4 percent as outrage over its astronomical price increases of the life-saving EpiPen has reached a boiling point. Mylan’s stock price went from a high of $49.20 per share on August 19 to $43.11 on August 24, according to MarketWatch: 







more at http://usuncut.com/class-war/epipen-makers-stock-value-drops-3-billion-5-days-investors-panic/


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## Don M. (Aug 25, 2016)

Yup...More Drug Company BS!  First they jack the price by 600%, then, when the public outcry occurs, they cut the price in half...Still Giving Them A 300% profit.  I just hope some Generic product is released to compete with this drug, and drive the Mylan stock down to half its present value...That would serve this outfit right.


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## Bobw235 (Aug 25, 2016)

Don M. said:


> Yup...More Drug Company BS!  First they jack the price by 600%, then, when the public outcry occurs, they cut the price in half...Still Giving Them A 300% profit.  I just hope some Generic product is released to compete with this drug, and drive the Mylan stock down to half its present value...That would serve this outfit right.



Couldn't happen fast enough to this bunch of A-holes.


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## QuickSilver (Aug 25, 2016)

WhatInThe said:


> With many schools and other organizations keeping epi pens on hand the price should be regulated, not discounted with psuedo club card or discount. If Mylan is going to take government money they should take what the government and people are willing to pay. Private sales and prescription plans are another story. It's older knowledge though, kind of late to use the r & d excuse.



It would help if the government were allowed to negotiate drug prices for Medicare part D and for schools..  However, GW Bush was opposed to that.  And it was voted down.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/13/washington/13medicare.html?_r=0


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## Carla (Aug 25, 2016)

They need competition. Teva wanted to produce a generic, but the FDA opposed. Hopefully, all this attention might make competition a reality.


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## Butterfly (Aug 25, 2016)

I would really like to know why the FDA shot Teva down on the generic.


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## Carla (Aug 25, 2016)

The FDA cited major deficiencies, and may possibly be approved in 2017.


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## QuickSilver (Aug 26, 2016)

I thought there was a patent on the epipen until 2025


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## Pappy (Aug 26, 2016)

When I asked about a generic for my Xarelto, at $10 a pill, that a generic couldn't be produced for at least 5 years after a new drug is introduced. If this is true or not, I'm not positive.


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## QuickSilver (Aug 26, 2016)




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## Brookswood (Aug 26, 2016)

According to an article in the WSJ, several companies have tried to produce their own version of the Epi-pen but government rules are making it difficult to get them to market.     Apparently, the problem is not the drug they are using but the delivery mechanism.


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## QuickSilver (Aug 26, 2016)

It's only Epinephrine..   It's widely available..  Use a small insulin syringe... and learn how to draw up the right amount of medication from the vile to inject into your thigh would bypass the need for epipens.  Seems to me that would be better than $600 epipens


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## WhatInThe (Aug 26, 2016)

QuickSilver said:


> It's only Epinephrine..   It's widely available..  Use a small insulin syringe... and learn how to draw up the right amount of medication from the vile to inject into your thigh would bypass the need for epipens.  Seems to me that would be better than $600 epipens



I just read something on that. They say the same thing but the average person takes 2 1/2 minutes to get the medication ready for injection which is too long. That and keeping a loaded syringe would speed up decay since things like light can age it.


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## fureverywhere (Aug 27, 2016)

If I may ask a couple of questions. Okay so your doctor writes you a prescription. How do you order it through Canada? How do you compare prices?


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## Butterfly (Aug 27, 2016)

fureverywhere said:


> If I may ask a couple of questions. Okay so your doctor writes you a prescription. How do you order it through Canada? How do you compare prices?



Fur, just go on the internet and research Canadian pharmacies.  You can find info on the pharmacy, and also prices listed for the drugs you want, and instructions on how to get the prescription to them.  Most of them have 800 numbers to, so you can call with questions.  Just google ordering drugs from Canada, or Canadian pharmacies -- it will all come up.  Just find the drug you want, and the strength, and the price is shown.  Piece of cake.


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## Brookswood (Aug 28, 2016)

IIRC, there are several manufactures of Epi-pen type devices in Europe.  If they are good enough for 400 million Europeans, why not us?


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## d0ug (Aug 28, 2016)

[FONT=&quot]A company Mylan making epipens just raised the price 400% on something that is a life saving device.
Mylan CEO Heather Bresch—the daughter of West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin probably thought she was well protected she was also gave money to the Clinton Foundation who she is also a partner for even more protection. The FDA has stalled and stopped anyone else from bringing to market any alternative. Epinephrine is extremely cheap—just a few cents per dose. So with no competition you can get away with anything.
The problem is you play with snakes and they will turn on you.
Hillary Clinton said Wednesday that the price of epipen is “outrageous” and called on manufacturer Mylan to lower the price of the life-saving device used to treat serious allergic reactions.
Sorry Heather Bresch Hillary turned on you. [/FONT]


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## Pappy (Aug 29, 2016)

Isn't this nice of them...??? 


Mylan says it will make available a generic version of its EpiPen, as criticism continued to mount over the price of its injectable medicine.
The company said Monday that its U.S. subsidiary will put out a generic version of the EpiPen that will have a list price of $300 for a two-pack. It will be available in both 0.15 mg and 0.30 mg strengths.
Myland N.V. said that it anticipates having the generic versions available in the next several weeks. It will continue to market and distribute branded EpiPen.
The company charges $608 for a two-pack of the branded EpiPen. Mylan said it will keep in place the $300 savings card for the branded EpiPen and the revised patient assistance program announced last week.


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## QuickSilver (Aug 29, 2016)

d0ug said:


> A company Mylan making epipens just raised the price 400% on something that is a life saving device.
> Mylan CEO Heather Bresch—the daughter of West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin probably thought she was well protected she was also gave money to the Clinton Foundation who she is also a partner for even more protection. The FDA has stalled and stopped anyone else from bringing to market any alternative. Epinephrine is extremely cheap—just a few cents per dose. So with no competition you can get away with anything.
> The problem is you play with snakes and they will turn on you.
> Hillary Clinton said Wednesday that the price of epipen is “outrageous” and called on manufacturer Mylan to lower the price of the life-saving device used to treat serious allergic reactions.
> Sorry Heather Bresch Hillary turned on you.




Please provide proof?   Oh.. wait...  You don't need any.


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## QuickSilver (Aug 29, 2016)

Pappy said:


> Isn't this nice of them...???
> 
> 
> Mylan says it will make available a generic version of its EpiPen, as criticism continued to mount over the price of its injectable medicine.
> ...



Oh how nice of them...  So now the price is only going from less than $100 for a two pack to $300?   How generous of them?


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## Don M. (Aug 29, 2016)

QuickSilver said:


> Oh how nice of them...  So now the price is only going from less than $100 for a two pack to $300?   How generous of them?



If there was ever a good reason for clamping down on these drug companies, this EpiPen thing should be a prime example.  The ingredients in these things probably cost no more than $5, and the production, packaging, etc., might add another $5.  At $100, they are making a huge profit, and anything more is just outrageous.


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## Pappy (Aug 31, 2016)

I think this pretty well covers it.


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## Dudewho (Sep 1, 2016)

Hmmm...The CEO of the company that make the Epi-pen is the daughter of Long time Democratic Senator from West Virginia, Joe Manchin. Political influence can sure make a family go far I guess. 
I'm sure if there's any Senare hearings about this, it will all work out in the end.


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## Dudewho (Sep 1, 2016)

QuickSilver said:


> Please provide proof?   Oh.. wait...  You don't need any.



Snopes...

However, Mylan, the company she heads, has donated somewhere between $100,000 and $250,000 to the Clinton Foundation — thereby joining the ranks of thousands of other donors, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump, the Commonwealth of Australia, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Norwegian government, the Netherlands government, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, and the Elton John AIDS Foundation.


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## QuickSilver (Sep 1, 2016)

So we must infer from this inane post folks... that the high cost of medication in the USA is the fault of the Democrats...  WHO Knew?


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## Dudewho (Sep 2, 2016)

QuickSilver said:


> So we must infer from this inane post folks... that the high cost of medication in the USA is the fault of the Democrats...  WHO Knew?



You asked for proof that the drug company Mylan contributed to the Clinton foundation. There you have it.  None of us here would ever believe the Hillary or Obama would look the other way for one of their major donors.  That would be unethical.


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## QuickSilver (Sep 2, 2016)

since this is the "health" section...  Medication might be in order..


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## dearimee (Dec 15, 2016)

One way the drug companies could help is quit all the expensive advertising! Do patients tell drs what meds to prescribe?? And with all the dire side effects they tell you in the commercials it's a wonder anyone wants to take the stuff unless they're going to die without it. Who are the ads meant for? It's just another ploy to get patients to tell the doc to write it up cause it's something new. Then the drug makers get sued for all the bad things that other med did to them. So the companies lose money and need to recoup. It doesn't make sense to me.


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## Don M. (Dec 15, 2016)

Whenever you see a "Ask your Doctor" ad on TV, you can bet that the cost of that commercial will be added to the cost of the drug being advertised.  The cost of a 30 second commercial on network TV can be as high as $250,000.  A 30 second TV commercial during special events, such as the Super Bowl, can be as high as $3,500,000.  The drug companies spend billions, per year, pushing their junk on TV, and the people who are taking these drugs are paying for that advertising.  The Only nations which allow all this "Ask your Doctor" crap are the U.S. and New Zealand...which goes a long way towards explaining why drugs are so much more expensive here than in Canada or Mexico, for example.  

It would take an act of Congress to stop this abuse of our Health Care System....but given that the drug companies are among the most generous donors to the political campaigns, there is little likelihood that this situation will be changed.


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## chic (Dec 15, 2016)

dearimee said:


> One way the drug companies could help is quit all the expensive advertising! Do patients tell drs what meds to prescribe?? And with all the dire side effects they tell you in the commercials it's a wonder anyone wants to take the stuff unless they're going to die without it. Who are the ads meant for? It's just another ploy to get patients to tell the doc to write it up cause it's something new. Then the drug makers get sued for all the bad things that other med did to them. So the companies lose money and need to recoup. It doesn't make sense to me.



All the side effects they list in those drug commercials makes me yearn for the days when we trusted the doctor and knew nothing. How can anyone recover when stroke, heart failure, cancer, lymphoma, convulsions and death could be the result of taking a prescribed medication. Once a person knows this can happen, they're much more likely to have a negative reaction to a drug. Honestly this has made me turn to holistic healing and homeopathy wherever feasible.


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