Posted on 02/12/2017 8:25:37 AM PST by markomalley
The head of a pharmaceutical company, who partnered with the Clinton Foundation, has increased the price of an auto-injector used to treat opioid overdoses by 680 percent over the course of three years.
Spencer Williamson, the president and chief executive officer of the Richmond, Virginia-based Kaleo Pharmaceuticals, is under fire after the price of a two-pack of Evzio, a device that treats life-threatening opioid overdoses, skyrocketed from $690 in 2014 to $4,500 today.
Thirty-one Democratic senators are now demanding answers on the price hike.
"We are deeply concerned about reports that Kaleo dramatically increased the cost of its naloxone injector device, Evzio, an FDA approved medication used for the emergency treatment of an opioid overdoes from $690 for a two pack in 2014 to $4,500 today," the letter sent from the senators to Williamson said. "This drug is now in the hands of first responders and families struggling with substance use disorder across the country. It is particularly needed in rural areas where access to life-saving emergency services can be limited. Such a steep rise in the cost of this drug threatens to price-out families and communities that depend on naloxone to save lives."
The senators ask Williamson to detail the pricing structure of Evzio and to provide documentation as to why the company changed its pricing structure. In addition, the lawmakers seek the total amount that Evzio has received in reimbursements over the last 12 months, among other demands.
Despite now coming under fire from the Democratic senators, Williamson has worked alongside the party's failed presidential candidate to help make the drug more affordable.
In January 2015, Williamson announced a partnership with the Clinton Foundation at the fourth annual Health Matters Activation Summit.
"Spencer Williamson, CEO of Kaleo, announced an agreement with the Kaleo pharmaceutical company to make EVZIO® (naloxone HCl injection) Auto-injector, an emergency treatment for opioid overdose, available at a bulk discount to colleges and universities, public safety organizations and community organizers," read the Clinton Foundation press release. "This agreement is a part of CHMIs efforts to ensure that there is a predictable and affordable supply of Naloxone, a life-saving opioid suppressant that can reverse opioid caused overdoses."
After the Washington Free Beacon reached out to Kaleo for comment, Mary Coyle, the senior vice president of the New York-based communications firm Ruder Finn, passed on a statement from Williamson.
"We received the letter from the senators and are in communication with them to ensure all questions are addressed," Williamson said. "Our first priority remains ensuring that patients can access EVZIO. In fact, with the launch of Kaleo's enhanced patient access program, more Americans are able to obtain this life-saving product for $0 out-of-pocket than any time in history."
"As the senators noted, EVZIO was designed for use by those without medical training, as most life-threatening opioid emergencies occur in the home and are witnessed by friends or family who may be in the best position to intervene quickly with naloxone," Williamson continued. "Through quick administration of EVZIO by caregivers, we can help save lives while saving significant costs to the healthcare system by avoiding long term in-patient care. No naloxone product, branded or even generic, is less expensive for commercially insured patients, or patients without insurance and incomes below $100,000 a year, than EVZIO."
“community organizers”????
Strange huh...opiods have spread thru the country these last 4 years.
Does anyone remember when The Rodham went after all the EVIL drug companies?
We would be better off without that drug anyway. Dopers die, no skin off my nose, Hope the dopers can se how much the democrat buddies care about them.
First, get Americans addicted to opioids. Check!
Next, devise a drug that will save them from an overdose. Check!
Then, lobby politicians to require that all police, fire and first responders carry the drug. Check!
Then, raise the price! Check!
Sounds about right for a swamp.
Now we know why they want to ban the cheap herb, Kratom, which is highly effective in treating opioid addiction.
This is all theater in my opinion. Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t this drug primarily used by First Responders? If so it’s local government is paying for it. Since when did the Democrats give a rat’s ass about government paying for anything?
Let the overdosers pay the high cost of their abuse.
Have to admit, it’s clever: open the borders, let the heroin flow in, and then sell the antidote at high prices. It’s like something the Joker would have come up with. Here’s hoping DJT is Batman.
Let’s be real....the chief target market is the government. YOUR government dollars at work.
Let's be real…government doesn't pay for anything…you and I pay for it.
When your enemies are attacking each other stand back and watch.
Something tells me that these Senators don’t think that they got their fair share.
Narcan, like epinephrine, is cheaper than dirt, and has been around that long. Charging outrageous fees for a delivery system is unacceptable. Get a syringe and ampule of each drug; less than a buck.
Go with Narcan which is delivered by the aerosol route. No injector needed and much cheaper. Some public health departments give it away.
The founders, twin brothers - one an engineer and the other an MD, patented a device for delivery of epinephrine which was an improvement on the EpiPen. The name of the product was called Auvi-Q and it was approved by FDA in 2013.
The single use device included an audio instructional cue, and the needle, once the medication was discharged, was designed to withdraw automatically back into the device thus preventing "sharps" sticks.
Founders of the company invented the product in part due to their own personal need for a ready supply of epinephrine. Epinephrine administrators are, as patients themselves, their own first responders. They are both of them brilliant guys, and fine Christian men.
The naloxone product was a follow-on, which used the same device technology on which Auvi-Q was based. I do not know this Williamson fellow who is the current president of the company. There was no attachment to the Clinton Foundation of which I was aware at the time the Auvi-Q submission was made to FDA. They later partnered with Sanofi on the introduction of the Auvi-Q product to the market.
The technology is novel and well-designed. That said, like the EpiPen (made by Mylan whose CEO is the daughter of Sen. Joe Manchin) Kaleo's CEO will have some 'splainin' to do to Congress about the absurd run up in price for their naloxone product just like Mylan is in the hot seat for EpiPen.
You'd think after what that pharma vulture CEO, Martin Shkreli did at Turing Pharma, cornering a market and fraudulently jacking up the price of a generic (which sent him to prison), these CEO's would get their acts together really fast and hope they escape such unwelcomed scrutiny themselves.
FReegards!
There really needs to be much more congressional “oversight” on Big Pharma...Big Oil, too. Both industries have been Raping the American public for years and get away with it via massive political contributions.
DRAIN THE SWAMP!!!
Companies should charge what the market will bear. How else can they decide? It is the fundamental principle of the free market. The CEO is responsible to the stockholders, and has to legally maximize their profits.
When prices get out of whack, it is because the Government has regulated something badly, or because they are really stupid customers paying ridiculous prices, or because there is governmental crime involved.
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