Price surge on EpiPens, called "monopoly"
SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) - Those with severe allergies have to spend a lot more for life-saving EpiPens.
In 2009, pharmacies paid about 100 dollars for a two pack of EpiPens. Today, that same package costs on average, more than 600 dollars.
Yesterday on the "The Nine”, we talked to Joanna Smith, the CEO of Healthcare Liaison, who called the price hike an EpiPen monopoly.
Smith says, “the company that produces EpiPen had a 90 percent market share of all the epinephrine that's sold worldwide. What Mylan holds is the patents on the injectables. There is not another company that allergists feel confident about prescribing.”
Smith suggests parents keep track of web sites that monitor the status of product developments that may be cheaper.