Epipen Price Raise: Hurting Those Who Need it Most

The CEO of the company that produces the EpiPen was called before a House Oversight Committee to testify about the price hike
Photo Courtesy of C-SPAN

The sudden rise in cost of EpiPens has affected many people, and has made it more difficult for those who need an EpiPen to have one ready in case of an emergency. 

    The EpiPen is an injection of epinephrine used primarily to treat severe allergic reactions and open up airways that are blocked from an allergic reaction. A EpiPen is used for many allergies, such as tree nuts or bee stings. It also helps stop the anaphylaxis often associated with Asthma patients. The EpiPen can save lives, but the sudden rise in price is now hurting people who need it in case of a dangerous situation. 

    The rise in cost is a concern to those who suffer from allergic reactions and can be worrisome. The price of an EpiPen now being $600, when the original cost was $94 in 2007, makes it more difficult for low-income families to get an EpiPen that might save their child’s life. 

    This is a concern to many parents whose children suffer from severe allergic reactions. Parents usually have their child carry their EpiPens with them at all times in case of an allergic reaction. Now that the prices have gone up many are buying them online for the lower prices, but this can be fatal since online sellers can be cheaper alternatives that can have the wrong medication. While pharmacies are working on a generic brand of an EpiPen, it will not be ready until late 2017 or early 2018.

    The problem of the price hike has started to make people do something dangerous that could hurt them rather than help them: people have started to create their own EpiPens.

    Beverly Meade, a registered nurse with eighteen years’ experience, knows how dangerous it is for people to make their own EpiPens. “This can be really dangerous; the improper dose of epinephrine could also be potentially fatal.  The individual could give too little or too much,” says Meade.

    There is a video on YouTube of a man named Michael Laufer, a PhD mathematician and one of the creators of the EpiPencil, creating an EpiPen and injecting himself with the device. The EpiPencil is an alternative to the EpiPen, and while it is a cheaper solution since the EpiPencil only costs $30, doctors warn people against making their own injectors.  The sudden rise in price, however, has made many families feel like they have no choice.

    Suzanne Snapp, a pharmacist at Four Seasons Pharmacy in Princeton, knows how difficult it can be for people to get the medication they need. “We have seen many people come into the pharmacy and not be able to afford the EpiPen at all. For someone to just pull $400 or $500 out of their pocket on the spot is really difficult,” says Snapp. 

    When someone has an allergic reaction, the EpiPen is injected into the tissue on the outer thigh or directly on top of the thigh. This allows for the epinephrine to enter the blood faster. If an EpiPen is not used in time it is fatal. “Timing is crucial, the individual’s airway could completely close and oxygen deprivation, the increased heart rate and blood pressure could cause a lethal arrhythmia to the heart or simply cause a heart attack,” says Meade. CPR could not be given because airways would be constricted. 

    The access to an EpiPen is crucial, but now that the price rise has made it difficult for people to get them it has become more even crucial. “This will be a very costly situation for these families and possibly deadly situation. Individuals especially in today’s economy cannot afford that cost all at one time, even the cost of the EpiPen with a coupon is still very expensive, most families live pay day to pay day,” says Meade. 

    There are no solutions yet, but pharmaceutical companies are working towards one that may not come soon enough for some families.