EpiPen With the recent price increase for the life saving EpiPen many families are being forced to either pay the absurd amount for the drug or to risk their safety and go without one. This imperative device is a prefilled syringe that inject a small dosage of epinephrine into the thigh muscle which suppresses the immune system to open up the airways closed off by fatal allergic reactions such as bee stings or nuts. For 43 Billion people across Americans the EpiPen is a necessity to daily life. One that which many people now are deciding to go without. While the EpiPen’s price continue to go up, the average consumer 's wage does not. The everyday American can no longer afford the expirable drug and many people are deciding to not purchase it altogether. Opting instead to trying other alternatives such as carrying the common antihistamine, benadryl. However, benadryl takes at least thirty …show more content…
In 2007 Mylan bought the rights to the EpiPen from a German company called Merck KGaA. Sense then they have increased the price of the epipen by over 550 percent in the last eight years. During these same eight years the CEO can also be seen to have a dramatic salary increase from 2.5 to 19 million - a total of 16.5 million dollars pay increase (Gerson, Madeleine). The price for a EpiPen now is around 600 dollars opposed to what it was in 2007, a measly 94 dollars. Madeleine Gerson states that, “Because of Mylan 's control of the drug market for epinephrine injections, patients have few options other than to purchase an EpiPen.” There is no generic version of the epipen, forcing people to either pay these outrageous prices or take the risk of going without one. Not only are they expensive but Epipens are not lifetime tools They only last around 6 - 12 months before they expire and are rendered useless. Family 's also need more than just one package of two EpiPens. Many families keep them stashed all over from backpacks to cars so they 'll always be accessible in case of an