This week, the pharmaceutical giant Mylan decided to boost the price of an EpiPen by over 400%. Friends on social media are now staring down a copay of $250 for one, while NBC News reports that the cost can soar past $500 without insurance. Many families are left unable to afford this lifesaving device, putting them at risk for potentially fatal anaphylaxis. It’s a downright nightmare.
Only a parent of a child with severe allergies can truly grasp the fear this brings. I remember when my son, Max, was just two years old and got stung during a playdate—was it a wasp or a bee? I can’t recall. All I know is that he started itching and breaking out in spots. By the time I got him home just five minutes later, his entire body was swollen; his eyes were barely open.
On the way to the hospital, Max went into shock and was almost intubated. He spent a week on steroids—imagine a toddler with a mood like that—paired with Benadryl, which thankfully halted the reaction. He was still covered in spots for a day and a half after. To top it off, we walked away with a prescription for an EpiPen.
Here’s how it works: Max knows to steer clear of bees and wasps, but what if he slips up? I whip out the trusty EpiPen I carry in a special pouch. I uncap it and, while wrestling with a child terrified of needles, plunge the needle into his thigh through his clothes, holding it there for a full 10 seconds.
According to Mylan, the magic ingredient, epinephrine, “constricts blood vessels to increase blood pressure, relaxes smooth muscles in the lungs to reduce wheezing and improve breathing, stimulates the heart (increases heart rate), and helps reduce hives and swelling around the face and lips.” But that’s just the beginning; Max still needs to hit the hospital to ensure we’ve effectively dealt with the anaphylactic shock that could potentially be fatal.
We keep two EpiPens on hand: one for use and one as a backup. Max carries them everywhere—or rather, I do. An EpiPen can delay anaphylactic shock, which causes hives, breathing issues, and swelling of the lips and tongue, complicating matters further. The risk here is that the airway may close, halting breathing and leading to death. Anaphylaxis is no joke, and in the short term, the only lifeline is an EpiPen.
Mylan defended their price hike, asserting that the cost has “changed over time to better reflect important product features and the value the product provides.” However, many would argue that considering the low production cost of epinephrine, a 400% or 500% increase is unjustifiable. The Huffington Post highlights that the price for a pack of two pens has skyrocketed from $100 in 1999 to over $600 today. Meanwhile, Mylan’s main competitor, Auvi-Q, issued a full recall last year, giving Mylan a significant edge in the portable epinephrine market, according to the New York Daily News.
Many families—especially parents—can no longer afford EpiPens, which need replacing annually. Some might even end up using expired EpiPens, risking incorrect dosing and reduced effectiveness. With about 1 in 50 Americans suffering from anaphylactic allergies—most commonly from insect stings and peanuts—this situation is alarming.
Let’s cross our fingers that other companies either bring their products back to market or develop new solutions for administering epinephrine. Until then, having an EpiPen is a luxury that only some can afford, leaving many parents in a state of fear whenever their child encounters a potential allergen. And that, my friends, is truly frightening.
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In summary, the rising costs of EpiPens have put families in a precarious situation where the lifesaving medication becomes an unaffordable luxury. As allergy rates soar, it’s crucial for more affordable alternatives to emerge so that no parent has to fear for their child’s safety due to financial constraints.