Prices for EpiPen Have Surged Nearly 500% Since 2009

Posted on August 27, 2016

Drug prices can be very expensive and prices on some specific drugs have soared out of control. One of those drugs is the EpiPen which has surged nearly 500% since 2009. The EpiPen is crucial for people with allergies. Families are having trouble affording the much needed drug at the new prices. Most of the prices on GoodRx show it costing well over $600 for a package containing 2 auto-injectors.

USA Today reports that Mylan says it will start offering coupons for patients in certain health plans for up to $300. Fortune says only up to about 4% of EpiPen users will be helped by this move. CNN/Money has an optimistic report that the outrage over the EpiPen prices could motivate the FDA to approve a generic alternative being developed by Teva Pharmaceuticals. Hillary Clinton has called on Mylan to cut its prices. Mylan has so far resisted calls for it to reduce prices.

This report from CBS This Morning says the high prices have forced some families to take a risk and not buy the important injectors because of the super high price. CBS also says that Mylan - the company behind the drug - has a virtual monopoly on it. Take a look:

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