{"id":8035,"date":"2016-08-25T18:41:00","date_gmt":"2016-08-25T18:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/2016\/08\/25\/discounts-arent-enough-to-halt-outrage-at-high-epipen-prices\/"},"modified":"2016-08-25T18:41:00","modified_gmt":"2016-08-25T18:41:00","slug":"discounts-arent-enough-to-halt-outrage-at-high-epipen-prices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/discounts-arent-enough-to-halt-outrage-at-high-epipen-prices\/","title":{"rendered":"Discounts Aren&#039;t Enough to Halt Outrage At High EpiPen Prices"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-style:italic;font-size:16px\">By  <a class=\"colorbox\" href=\"http:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/health-shots\/2016\/08\/25\/491372193\/discounts-arent-enough-to-halt-outrage-at-high-epipen-prices?utm_medium=RSS&amp;utm_campaign=healthcare\">Alison Kodjak<\/a><\/span>  <\/p>\n<div class=\"ftpimagefix\" style=\"float:left\"><a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/health-shots\/2016\/08\/25\/491372193\/discounts-arent-enough-to-halt-outrage-at-high-epipen-prices?utm_medium=RSS&amp;utm_campaign=healthcare\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2016\/08\/25\/epipen-2-f20dc2ae348b59dc372a027997c96cddc054a4ae-s1100-c15.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/a><\/div>\n<div>\n<div><button>Enlarge this image<\/button><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p>The cost of an EpiPen two-pack has risen more than 400 percent in recent years. The drug is used to halt severe allergic reactions. <strong>Joe Raedle\/Getty Images<\/strong> <strong>hide caption<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>toggle caption<\/strong> <span>Joe Raedle\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.statnews.com\/2016\/08\/25\/mylan-antitrust-epipen-schools\/\">EpiPen<\/a>, an injectable drug that reverses severe allergic reactions, just got a little cheaper for some consumers.<\/p>\n<p>The device&#8217;s manufacturer, Mylan NV, <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http:\/\/newsroom.mylan.com\/2016-08-25-Mylan-Taking-Immediate-Action-to-Further-Enhance-Access-to-EpiPen-Epinephrine-Injection-USP-Auto-Injector\">announced<\/a> Thursday that it will offer coupons worth as much as $300 off a two-pack.<\/p>\n<p>The move is a <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/health-shots\/2016\/08\/24\/491232665\/latest-target-in-the-drug-price-wars-the-ubiquitous-epipen\">reaction to harsh criticism<\/a> from consumers and several lawmakers over repeated price increases that have boosted the cost of the medication to more than $600 from less than $100 just a few years ago.<\/p>\n<p>The company says it will offer the discounts to patients whose insurance doesn&#8217;t cover the costs because of high deductibles or limited pharmacy benefits.<\/p>\n<p>But coupons may not be enough to tamp down anger over the price hikes.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;This step is much more a PR fix more than a real remedy,&#8221; <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blumenthal.senate.gov\/newsroom\/press\/release\/blumenthal-demands-mylan-lower-price-for-life-saving-epipen\">Sen. Richard Blumenthal<\/a>, D-Conn., said in an interview Thursday. &#8220;What&#8217;s needed is robust, real action to lower the price for everyone, not just a select few.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>He says the EpiPen has such enormous market share that the company may be violating antitrust laws by exploiting that. A <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.statnews.com\/2016\/08\/25\/mylan-antitrust-epipen-schools\/\">report<\/a> by the health care website Stat says some of Mylan&#8217;s <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.epipen.com\/en\/hcp\/for-health-care-partners\/for-school-nurses\">contracts<\/a> to give schools free or discounted EpiPens may have done just that, because they bar the schools from buying competitors&#8217; products.<\/p>\n<p>Mylan told Stat that the provision restricting school purchasing has since been discontinued, but did not say when it was halted.<\/p>\n<p>Blumenthal is just one of several lawmakers who have called for investigations into Mylan&#8217;s business practices and have asked for justifications of its price increases in recent days. He and a few others say the discounts aren&#8217;t enough.<\/p>\n<p>Blumenthal sent a <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blumenthal.senate.gov\/newsroom\/press\/release\/blumenthal-demands-mylan-lower-price-for-life-saving-epipen\">letter<\/a> to the company earlier this week demanding that it lower the price.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http:\/\/www.grassley.senate.gov\/\">Sen. Charles Grassley<\/a>, R-Iowa, <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http:\/\/www.grassley.senate.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/constituents\/upload\/2016-08-22%20CEG%20to%20Mylan%20%28EpiPen%29.pdf\">sent a letter to Mylan<\/a> demanding an explanation for the increase. And <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http:\/\/www.klobuchar.senate.gov\/public\/\">Sen. Amy Klobuchar<\/a>, D-Minn., has asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether Mylan has violated antitrust laws in its marketing of the EpiPen.<\/p>\n<p>Rep. <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/cummings.house.gov\/\">Elijah Cummings<\/a>, D-Md., says his Oversight and Government Reform Committee would hold hearings. &#8220;Offering a meager discount only after widespread bipartisan criticism is exactly the same tactic used by drug companies across the industry to distract from their exorbitant price increases,&#8221; Cummings said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>And Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton weighed in <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/hillaryclinton\/posts\/1224944767562050?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=tw&amp;utm_campaign=20160824\">on her Facebook page<\/a>. &#8220;It&#8217;s wrong when drug companies put profits ahead of patients, raising prices without justifying the value behind them,&#8221; she wrote.<\/p>\n<p>The wholesale price of a single pen was about $47 in 2007. It rose to $284 this summer, according to <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http:\/\/www.ssrllc.com\/about-us\/research-analyst-bios\/\">Richard Evans<\/a>, a health care analyst at SSR. But consumers can no longer buy a single pen, so the retail price to fill a prescription today at Walgreens is about $633, according to <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http:\/\/www.goodrx.com\/?utm_source=gemini&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=Brand&amp;utm_term=good+rx&amp;c=gemini\">GoodRX<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Blumenthal says a solution could require new laws.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;At the end of the day there may need to be stronger legal protections against these types of price gouging and profiteering at the expense of people who need a lifesaving drug where the company has a stranglehold on the market,&#8221; he says.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/blockads.fivefilters.org\/\">Let&#8217;s block ads!<\/a><\/strong> <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/fivefilters\/block-ads\/wiki\/There-are-no-acceptable-ads\">(Why?)<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Source:: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/health-shots\/2016\/08\/25\/491372193\/discounts-arent-enough-to-halt-outrage-at-high-epipen-prices?utm_medium=RSS&amp;utm_campaign=healthcare\" class=\"colorbox\" title=\"Discounts Aren&#039;t Enough to Halt Outrage At High EpiPen Prices\" rel=\"nofollow\">http:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/health-shots\/2016\/08\/25\/491372193\/discounts-arent-enough-to-halt-outrage-at-high-epipen-prices?utm_medium=RSS&amp;utm_campaign=healthcare<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"ftpimagefix\" style=\"float:left\"><a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/health-shots\/2016\/08\/25\/491372193\/discounts-arent-enough-to-halt-outrage-at-high-epipen-prices?utm_medium=RSS&amp;utm_campaign=healthcare\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/media.npr.org\/assets\/img\/2016\/08\/25\/epipen-2-f20dc2ae348b59dc372a027997c96cddc054a4ae-s1100-c15.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/a><\/div>\n<div>\n<div><button>Enlarge this image<\/button><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<p>The cost of an EpiPen two-pack has risen more than 400 percent in recent years. The drug is used to halt severe allergic reactions. <strong>Joe Raedle\/Getty Images<\/strong> <strong>hide caption<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>toggle caption<\/strong> <span>Joe Raedle\/Getty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.statnews.com\/2016\/08\/25\/mylan-antitrust-epipen-schools\/\">EpiPen<\/a>, an injectable drug that reverses severe allergic reactions, just got a little cheaper for some consumers.<\/p>\n<p>The device&#8217;s manufacturer, Mylan NV, <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http:\/\/newsroom.mylan.com\/2016-08-25-Mylan-Taking-Immediate-Action-to-Further-Enhance-Access-to-EpiPen-Epinephrine-Injection-USP-Auto-Injector\">announced<\/a> Thursday that it will offer coupons worth as much as $300 off a two-pack.<\/p>\n<p>The move is a <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/health-shots\/2016\/08\/24\/491232665\/latest-target-in-the-drug-price-wars-the-ubiquitous-epipen\">reaction to harsh criticism<\/a> from consumers and several lawmakers over repeated price increases that have boosted the cost of the medication to more than $600 from less than $100 just a few years ago.<\/p>\n<p>The company says it will offer the discounts to patients whose insurance doesn&#8217;t cover the costs because of high deductibles or limited pharmacy benefits.<\/p>\n<p>But coupons may not be enough to tamp down anger over the price hikes.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;This step is much more a PR fix more than a real remedy,&#8221; <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blumenthal.senate.gov\/newsroom\/press\/release\/blumenthal-demands-mylan-lower-price-for-life-saving-epipen\">Sen. Richard Blumenthal<\/a>, D-Conn., said in an interview Thursday. &#8220;What&#8217;s needed is robust, real action to lower the price for everyone, not just a select few.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>He says the EpiPen has such enormous market share that the company may be violating antitrust laws by exploiting that. A <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.statnews.com\/2016\/08\/25\/mylan-antitrust-epipen-schools\/\">report<\/a> by the health care website Stat says some of Mylan&#8217;s <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.epipen.com\/en\/hcp\/for-health-care-partners\/for-school-nurses\">contracts<\/a> to give schools free or discounted EpiPens may have done just that, because they bar the schools from buying competitors&#8217; products.<\/p>\n<p>Mylan told Stat that the provision restricting school purchasing has since been discontinued, but did not say when it was halted.<\/p>\n<p>Blumenthal is just one of several lawmakers who have called for investigations into Mylan&#8217;s business practices and have asked for justifications of its price increases in recent days. He and a few others say the discounts aren&#8217;t enough.<\/p>\n<p>Blumenthal sent a <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blumenthal.senate.gov\/newsroom\/press\/release\/blumenthal-demands-mylan-lower-price-for-life-saving-epipen\">letter<\/a> to the company earlier this week demanding that it lower the price.<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http:\/\/www.grassley.senate.gov\/\">Sen. Charles Grassley<\/a>, R-Iowa, <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http:\/\/www.grassley.senate.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/constituents\/upload\/2016-08-22%20CEG%20to%20Mylan%20%28EpiPen%29.pdf\">sent a letter to Mylan<\/a> demanding an explanation for the increase. And <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http:\/\/www.klobuchar.senate.gov\/public\/\">Sen. Amy Klobuchar<\/a>, D-Minn., has asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether Mylan has violated antitrust laws in its marketing of the EpiPen.<\/p>\n<p>Rep. <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/cummings.house.gov\/\">Elijah Cummings<\/a>, D-Md., says his Oversight and Government Reform Committee would hold hearings. &#8220;Offering a meager discount only after widespread bipartisan criticism is exactly the same tactic used by drug companies across the industry to distract from their exorbitant price increases,&#8221; Cummings said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>And Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton weighed in <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/hillaryclinton\/posts\/1224944767562050?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=tw&amp;utm_campaign=20160824\">on her Facebook page<\/a>. &#8220;It&#8217;s wrong when drug companies put profits ahead of patients, raising prices without justifying the value behind them,&#8221; she wrote.<\/p>\n<p>The wholesale price of a single pen was about $47 in 2007. It rose to $284 this summer, according to <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http:\/\/www.ssrllc.com\/about-us\/research-analyst-bios\/\">Richard Evans<\/a>, a health care analyst at SSR. But consumers can no longer buy a single pen, so the retail price to fill a prescription today at Walgreens is about $633, according to <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"http:\/\/www.goodrx.com\/?utm_source=gemini&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_campaign=Brand&amp;utm_term=good+rx&amp;c=gemini\">GoodRX<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Blumenthal says a solution could require new laws.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;At the end of the day there may need to be stronger legal protections against these types of price gouging and profiteering at the expense of people who need a lifesaving drug where the company has a stranglehold on the market,&#8221; he says.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/blockads.fivefilters.org\/\">Let&#8217;s block ads!<\/a><\/strong> <a class=\"colorbox\" rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/github.com\/fivefilters\/block-ads\/wiki\/There-are-no-acceptable-ads\">(Why?)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8035","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8035","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8035"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8035\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8035"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8035"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8035"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}