Posted on 09/01/2016 11:53:56 AM PDT by wtd
“Mylan may appear to be moving in the right direction, but its [generic device] announcement raises as many questions as solutions – including why the price is still astronomically high, and whether its action is a preemptive strike against a competing generic,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). Where is the competition for patients who must carry epinephrine?
As Blumenthal indicates, there is now a lot of discussion of the lack of competition and how the EpiPen price rose sharply in a monopoly environment after Sanofi withrew the Auvi-Q auto-injector from the marketplace in October 2015. (This followed reports of potential issues with the dosage delivered by the Auvi-Q.)
I have yet to see any of the "reports" of "potential" issues with the dosage delivered by the far superior & convenient (albeit recalled) device called Auvi-Q.
*****
I also found this earlier quote most telling and agreeable:
"“It’s a real challenge to understand how a management team sits around a board table and makes a decision to raise the price of a lifesaving medication over and over and over, and when the P.R. storm hits, decides to blame someone else for that price increase,” Maris told The New York Times."
*****
I was one of the consumers suddenly blindsided with the sudden price increase for the EpiPen two pack. Back in September 2015, I received an e-mail notice that my Auvi-Q's were being recalled and required immediate replacement due to concerns about "potential dosage" accuracy.
No one wants to risk having a faulty medical device when needed, so off I went to the pharmacy to ask for replacement. Apparently I was one of the first to bring this issue to my pharmacist because they were NOT aware of the recall at that time. Then, I was informed that the Auvi-Q was no longer going to be offered. Secondly, I could not simply request a replacement at the pharmacy counter. I had to make an appointment with my children's physician to acquire a new prescription.
I followed up by calling my pediatrician who thankfully opted to call in the Rx for me.
At the checkout counter, I handed my insurance card to the clerk and was informed that my insurance wasn't covering the cost of the replacement - and the bill came to almost $2,000 because I requested three sets of EpiPens as I always have. I keep one set for each of two allergic children on my person. I provided one set for the elementary/middle school nurse because the elementary/middle school aged students were prohibited from carrying their own. I provided another set for my high school student. I also provided one set each for their sports coaches to carry during away trips. With insurance the cost was manageable - prior to 2015. Not after.
Reading that Mylan will offer a generic for half the price of the EpiPen is adding insult to injury. The prescribed EpiPen units cost $57 in 2007.
The cost of the actual drug, "epinephrine" doesn't appear to have gone up recently either. See Animart continues to sell 50mL bottle for $23.89 Now, unless the epinephrine for veterinary use is different from medical use on children - the insane rapid and escalating price increase of epinephrine is not yet explained to the slightest extent...even with the recent addition of the ACA initiated medical device tax which adds only about $5 per unit.
Also, no mention is made of other options such as:
*****
As an aside, let me mention another coincidence'...
Since two of my children required access to EpiPens/Auvi-Q auto-injectors over the years due to severe allergies (nuts, peanuts, shellfish, seafood, penicillin, sulfa), we also had to have immediate access to Benadryl and were instructed to provide & administer the Benadryl first, EpiPen/AuviQ next and call 911.
One of the most convenient ways to carry/store the Benadryl was also pulled from the market about the same time...
Too many coincidences, if you ask me
How about a 3.5 gram tube of eye ointment that costs $230?
With a $50 discount.
It’s gouging.
Let’s call it what it is.
I'd like to know more specifically the actual expiration date of epinephrine because NONE of the expired units in my possession are clouded - going back as far as 2000. As expensive as these meds have become, I hesitate to discard them.
I heard someone on radio discussing a 2-step or dual injection type of device. As I don’t need the pens, I did not pay that close of attention, but now I wish I had..
Have you heard of any alternative types of pens?
Senate lobbying records show that Mylan spent more than $2 million on Washington lobbying in 2015. In addition, the company’s political action committee has distributed more than $79,500 in contributions for the 2016 election cycle, according to campaign-finance records available at OpenSecrets.org.
The lobbying disclosure forms tell a remarkably bipartisan story. Mylan paid $40,000 to hire Scott Evertz, who had been director of AIDS policy in the George W. Bush administration. It paid $70,000 to the Glover Park Group; that bought the services of Joel Johnson, who is a former senior aide to President Bill Clinton, and of Gregg Rothschild, who had been chief counsel to Democratic Rep. John Dingell, longtime chairman of the House Commerce Committee.
And Mylan paid $240,000 to a firm called West Front Strategies, whose partners include Malloy McDaniel, a former policy adviser to Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell.
The Mylan political action committee gave $7,500 to Sen. Chuck Schumer’s campaign for the 2016 cycle and $3,500 in the 2010 cycle, according to the Open Secrets records.
Mylan’s CEO, Heather Bresch, is the daughter of a Democratic US senator from West Virginia Joe Manchin.
When she recently spoke with The New York Times, she listed among her top accomplishments the passage of a federal law, the Generic Drug User Fee Amendments of 2012, requiring increased inspections of overseas drug manufacturers.
Mylan also donated to the Clinton Foundation.
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton issued a statement “calling on Mylan to immediately reduce the price of EpiPens.”
“Gal’s view is that “Mylan is right, partially, in saying that a lot of people along the way make money, it’s not just us.” “
Yeah, “a lot of people along the way make money.” That’s the whole problem with Medical Care, “middlemen” are skimming billions of dollars for doing little or nothing and that includes the insurance companies. The “distribution chain” needs to be seriously shortened. Unless that’s done, no amount of government intervention will fix the problem.
When this country finally goes Socialist these bozos will only have themselves to blame.
Learn to give an injection with a hypodermic needle and you can get a vial of epinephrine and a hypodermic needle for $6.
It’s been a while but I had a $5 deductible and got a prescription to treat conjunctivitis. It was $4.99 for the generic tube.
Couldn't a person take along some Z-Quil, which is simply liquid benadryl (diphenhedramine)?
First, I wish to express my sympathy and prayers for the allergies that your children face. That kind of situation must be a real bear to tolerate.
My second thought is how much this appears to be affected by ‘crony capitalism’ in both the industry and government. A prior approved device from a competitor is ‘withdrawn’ for potential dosage issues? If not actual issues, then why not re-engineer? Mylan has certainly benefitted from the monopoly abetted by the FDA!
Third, and only because of the current heated political atmosphere, I am so happy that the only prominent ‘blame person’ is associated with the ‘D’ camp. Imagine if one of the Trump kids were involved or someone of similar ‘R’ prominence. Regardless of the facts, notice how only light mention of Mylan CEO Heather Bresch’s filial relationship to ‘D’ Senator Joe Manchion is made? Would be considerably different in the opposite case!
This is what socialism does. All the competition was denied approvals. This is purely on the Democrats and the corrupt Clinton Foundation. This is what a bribe looks like. This is what illegal protection from competition looks like.
bushone wrote: "I heard someone on radio discussing a 2-step or dual injection type of device. As I don’t need the pens, I did not pay that close of attention, but now I wish I had..Have you heard of any alternative types of pens?
One two-step device involves a tip on the opposite end of the needle being pulled up and turned clockwise to release the plunger to the second dose.
Not sure if this is the same one you mention. Personally, I would prefer to see the sublingual tablet delivery system brought to market if it is as reliable as the injectors. The tablets are far more convenient for storage/portability in size and "stability of product" than the injectables.
The recalled AuviQ was superior to the EpiPen because of its shape and size and the fact that it talked you through the process as you needed it. AuviQ demo illustrates that it is about as idiot-proof as it comes.
Let me remind everyone that this is but another example of an artificially created monopoly as a consequence of Federal government interference with the market.
They won't approve other manufactures designs of the Epipen.
It makes you think there is Crony Capitalist collusion going on between the company that owns this and the FedGov.
If the regulations aren't protecting the public, then they need to get fixed or eliminated.
How about Concordia Donnatal used to sell $7.00 8oz. Now $2,800 8 oz.
Or now no Qvar for Medicare rx. Just Flovent found by Harvard not to be as effective as Qvar.
Pure Greed and cruelty marching along with Government approval.
Dr. Sivana wrote: " as well as Primatene Mist inhalers (another quick absorbing delivery of Epinephrine.Those used to be over the counter. I don't think you can get them any more (global warming).
Seems to be the same as price gouging (mentioned above in comment #3 by Lurkinanloomin)
Unfortunately I have iritis and the first Rx, a 10ml bottle of drops, was $55 after the $50 discount. No deductibles for me as I don’t have insurance. The inflammation was not cleared up as expected so the ointment was prescribed. I looked it up, the patent on the ointment expires Jan. 29, 2017.
If only my eye had waited six months to go haywire!
If my problem were conjunctivitis I would have dealt with it with an herb wash of my own making.
Thank you Liz - very informative.
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