Costliness of the EpiPen, and its Alternatives
- lukecyrus
- Jan 1, 2024
- 2 min read
Happy New Year! It’s around this time that I get refills on my medications, and it occurred to me that I have not yet written about how obscenely expensive the EPIPEN®, particularly, has come to be in the past 10 years. Today, an EPIPEN® costs anywhere between $600-$750 with no insurance. And that’s just one. Typically, as a safety measure, families usually keep 3-4 due to the various settings in which their loved ones with allergies could potentially be exposed to allergens. That’s a yearly expenditure of almost $2000 minimum every year. What's shocking is that their market competitors sell their product at prices between $130-$250, and doctors have clearly established that these generics (substitutes to the official EPIPEN®) are safe to use and just as effective (links to affirmations at the bottom). The question is then, why do we keep getting billed for the brand-name?
The main reason boils down to marketing and clinical trials. The parent company of the official EPIPEN® is Mylan, and when it comes to market power, this corporation goes all out. Reportedly spending up to $85 million annually on advertising the registered EPIPEN®, their investment has ensured that when someone hears “epinephrine auto-injector”, the phrase is synonymous with the EPIPEN®. As such, pharmaceutical companies have artificially manufactured a monopolistic market through public perception and professional endorsement of the “official” product released by EPIPEN®. Additionally though, in order for other auto-injectors to be declared as sufficient substitutes to the generic, the FDA requires numerous clinical trials and extensive research to demonstrate on a massive, reliable scale that the two are equally effective, and conducting these studies requires staggering investments of time and money.
So how can food allergy patients combat these issues? First, check your insurance plan to see if it covers the generics, as most plans do. If that’s the case, you could potentially save hundreds of dollars just through the your healthcare plan. If it is not covered, don’t worry, as it is possible to appeal for coverage through something known as an “appeal letter” form your primary health care provider. Usually this letter will get you some mount of coverage, although aid is given on a case-by-case basis. Secondly, certain companies like GoodRx give digital coupons with codes that can further cut costs, with savings up to 70-90% on medications at some pharmacies.
In summary, your first line of approaching this issue should be to discuss with your doctor which generics they would recommend are best for you given personal factors and insurance policy. After that, ask your healthcare provider for any available coupons to cash in at your pharmacy, and hopefully these can lower the financial burden of these life-saving medications and make them more accessible for you and your family.
References:
2)https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/nation-now/2016/08/29/brand-vs-generic-drugs-whats-difference/89534460/
Comments