Posted on 09/02/2016 1:51:37 PM PDT by wtd
When it is a Government-protected monopoly obtained through corrupt political connections, - yes, the very existence of the company is evil.
The EpiPen has about $7 per unit of direct manufacturing costs. In a truly free-market economy there would be several companies making them and the retail cost per unit would probably be $40-$60.
And BTW, the device was developed by a different company under a US-Military-funded program. What we have here is socialized costs and privatized profits.
Evil.
Given that the company can make a profit if they sold a two EpiPen package for $14.95, the company selling them for $600 or even $300 is making an obscene profit.
This is not new technology, it is pure greed and corruption in my opinion.
That information needed to be noted in the original post. If that is the case, then this is worse than evil.
They are issuing the generic to prevent competition from another company.
I read about a doctor that has his own kit that anyone can make....
get the generic stuff in a bottle, buy a syringe and a very small needle and it all fits into an altoids tin...
instead of the autopen you have to draw the correct amount into the syringe and inject it yourself...
cost, including the altoids, is around 20.00 per shot..
$600 to $300 is still a major profit. Major profit.
OMG! Profits!!!
How evil of a company to attempt to make a “profit.”
These companies should be punished for being greedy.
It’s just downright un-American for a company to make a profit in these socialistic times.
The Epi Pen should be free to everyone who needs it. “”
Good points. Second point is, no one is forcing users to buy them. Did someone, like the IRS hold a gun to your head and force users to buy these?
Not good points.
This is life-saving device for which there is no good substitute. It is also ridiculously cheap to make and was developed from Government funded programs.
In a real free-market capitalistic system, this device would be widely available from different makers and would be inexpensive. There is after all a big demand for them and they are easy to make.
We do not have a free-market system today.
The EpiPen is sold at predatory pricing (literally "your money or your life") to vulnerable patients because of corrupt deals between A Democrat Congress thief and the MyLan CEO. In fact they are relatives.
Of course those patients have a "choice". They can pay what the monopoly supplier demands - or they can die.
Other choices should be considered.
The Epi-Pen is about the delivery system, not the med. No one likes to inject themselves or a loved one, but diabetics do it all the time. The key is in patient education.
Epi-Pen or death is a false choice.
BINGO!!!!
It is exactly the choice. That is why a 500% price increase after Mylan bought the "rights" to the Epi-Pen is so controversial.
Mylan has it's pricing ability because of monopoly and regulatory barriers created by Congress and corrupt interpretations of patent laws and FDA regulations. And the CEO is related to a current Democrat member of Congress. How convenient.
The original owner of the patents did not have the connections in Congress or the FDA to inflict such an atrocity.
Repeal the "Drug Re-Importation Laws" and the Epi-Pen (or equivalent devices) will be selling for $40-$60 per unit.
Like they used to.
The choice is epinephrine or death from analphylaxis. An epi-pen is but one way to administer epinephrine. It is not the only way.
Can’t afford an epi-pen? Don’t want to die? Then learn how to do it the old fashioned way, which also the best way for patients ( aka Healthcare Consumers) to answer Mylan.
If they are so easy to make, then make your own. Injectable Epi has been on the market for 60 years. Preposterous that you need an Epi-pen. My brother carried Epi 50 years ago.
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