At the start of the school year, officials say they’re concerned about the price, and the availability, of epinephrine for kids who need it. The drug can be administered by EpiPen to anyone who suffers an allergy attack and goes into anaphylactic shock.
Carolyn Janis from West Hartford, Connecticut, has a 4-year-old son who has a severe peanut, tree-nut, and coconut allergy.
“Noah can simply not live without his EpiPen. He will not be allowed at school, camps, or sporting events without them. EpiPens are becoming harder for families to afford, as well as to actually purchase. The demands for them continue to grow as allergies continue to seep into families.”
Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal says that nearly six million families in the United States face similar problems. He’s introducing legislation to combat what he says is price gouging by drug companies.
“The prices are continuing to be in the range of $600-700 for a set of two and even then, many parents simply can’t find them after very diligently searching their pharmacies.”
Blumenthal says that Mylan — the company that produces the epinephrine injector — has a monopoly on EpiPens and that’s what causes costs to rise.