CVS just announced a super cheap generic alternative to EpiPen

Adrenaclick, a similar epinephrine auto-injecting device, now available nationwide.

Read the whole story

 

[syntaks]

"No one's more frustrated than me… My frustration is, the list price is $608. There is a system. I laid out that there are four or five hands that the product touches, and companies that it goes through before it ever gets to that patient at the counter. Everyone should be frustrated. I'm hoping that this is an inflection point for this country." -- Heather Bresch, CEO of Mylan

I guess it was!

*edit* -- attributed the quote, just in case.

 

[bthylafh]

$110 is still a hell of a lot of money.

 

[Eurynom0s]

This still doesn't solve the problem of EpiPen prescriptions only being allowed to be filled with EpiPen since it has no FDA-approved generic equivalents, right?

 

[Deleted member 1]

Hope all those exclusive contracts with schools have a clause that allows them to get out of it!

 

[schizrade]

bthylafh[/url]":2n2uxu0y]$110 is still a hell of a lot of money.

At least somebody tried to offer it cheaper?

 

[Tsur]

I applaud them for bringing this to market, it was obviously needed. But couldn't they have just priced it at $110.00?

 

[suprmonky73]

I carry an epipen, my son has one also.
I'm all for creating a product and making money on it, everyone does it and that's the way the world works.
But when it comes gouging people's wallets so that they can continue to protect their health, there's no excuse. Your financial gain does not come above a large population's health. Not sure how some people can turn a blind eye to that.

 

[seppukufor$20]

Unzip_for_Harambe[/url]":3507v5fu]This is why I voted for Trump: Capitalism works.

Why do you think issues with pricing occurred in the first place? Capitalism.

 

[kezeka]

Eurynom0s[/url]":hb168dse]This still doesn't solve the problem of EpiPen prescriptions only being allowed to be filled with EpiPen since it has no FDA-approved generic equivalents, right?

In medicine we often interchangeably use trade names with generic names. Epi pen orders in our hospital pharmacy result in the patient getting whatever epinephrine auto injector we currently have on formulary. I assume outpatient pharmacies are able to interpret prescriptions similarly as long as generic substitutes are permitted on the initial rx.

This is great news!

 

[S2pidiT]

Eurynom0s[/url]":2ffd920l]This still doesn't solve the problem of EpiPen prescriptions only being allowed to be filled with EpiPen since it has no FDA-approved generic equivalents, right?

I'm spreading word to those who I know need these to ask for generic epinephrine instead of an Epipen.

 

[BradleyUffner]

Unzip_for_Harambe[/url]":hl5fkpv1]This is why I voted for Trump: Capitalism works.

How many people died because they couldn't afford the $600 version when it was the only available option?

Capitalism can work, but it can't react quickly enough when lives are on the line. It has no place in health care.

 

[Hack-n-Slash]

kezeka[/url]":1abmmr7u]

Eurynom0s[/url]":1abmmr7u]This still doesn't solve the problem of EpiPen prescriptions only being allowed to be filled with EpiPen since it has no FDA-approved generic equivalents, right?

In medicine we often interchangeably use trade names with generic names. Epi pen orders in our hospital pharmacy result in the patient getting whatever epinephrine auto injector we currently have on formulary. I assume outpatient pharmacies are able to interpret prescriptions similarly as long as generic substitutes are permitted on the initial rx.

This is great news!

Depends on the state.

 

[beeblebrox]

When it's available over the counter, without a prescription, I'll be impressed. My son has a peanut allergy. It's not going to go away. I need to buy these every year and I think it's ridiculous that I have to take him to an allergist to get a prescription for something that he needs to have, we know he needs, and that is most likely never going to *not need*.

 

[Coriolanus]

Eurynom0s[/url]":y0jc8cb4]This still doesn't solve the problem of EpiPen prescriptions only being allowed to be filled with EpiPen since it has no FDA-approved generic equivalents, right?

This is the generic version of the Adrenaclick, a competing Epinephrine injector, being manufactured by the manufacturer of Adrenaclick itself (and therefore already have FDA approval).

 

[seppukufor$20]

ChodaBoy[/url]":2wab6raq]

seppukufor$20[/url]":2wab6raq]

Unzip_for_Harambe[/url]":2wab6raq]This is why I voted for Trump: Capitalism works.

Why do you think issues with pricing occurred in the first place? Capitalism.

Greed != Capitalism

But greed goes hand in hand with rampant capitalism. Capitalism has no place in healthcare.

 

[cogwheel]

bthylafh[/url]":30t5zp8o]$110 is still a hell of a lot of money.

According to the article, that's about what EpiPens cost before Mylan pulled a Shkreli (or is that Shkreli pulled a Mylan? who was first?). It's believable that $55 for an auto-injector is close enough to the cost to make, QC, distribute, and stock them that it doesn't sound like a horrendous gouge like the current EpiPen cost. Plus, the manufacturer appears to be providing a coupon for poor people that brings the cost down to $5, which is well below the approximate best case cost of $50 per EpiPen after discounts and insurance that a previous article mentioned..

(Note, the $110 price is for a 2-pack, and I'm assuming the coupon brings the 2-pack cost down to $10, though the article isn't perfectly clear on that.)

 

[Hopefully Smarter]

bthylafh[/url]":vvsdo3ah]$110 is still a hell of a lot of money.

Maybe, but not really. It's a treatment that has a short shelf life.

I applaud CVS.

You won't hear Dumpty dumpty cheering this, because his crony capitalist buddies can't find a way o squeeze the market.

 

[Coriolanus]

Master P[/url]":22wngva4]

seppukufor$20[/url]":22wngva4]

Unzip_for_Harambe[/url]":22wngva4]This is why I voted for Trump: Capitalism works.

Why do you think issues with pricing occurred in the first place? Capitalism.

There can't be capitalism if there is a government enforced monopoly via patents and FDA approvals.

What would you like instead of FDA approvals - allowing companies to sell patent medicine that does nothing or sicken people, and letting the market put them out of business when their customers die?

 

[fitten]

Unzip_for_Harambe[/url]":26kyul9k]This is why I voted for Trump: Capitalism works.

Except for all the Socialist labor plans he campaigned on, right? Or do you only know of the pejorative use of the word "Socialist" and not the actual definition?

 

[Hopefully Smarter]

ChodaBoy[/url]"vbg6pwn]

seppukufor$20[/url]"vbg6pwn]

Unzip_for_Harambe[/url]"vbg6pwn]This is why I voted for Trump: Capitalism works.

Why do you think issues with pricing occurred in the first place? Capitalism.

Greed != Capitalism

Trump had nothing to do with this. You're naive to think that this phenomenon was attributable to him.

Your vote was wasted. He's gonna screw you too. Don't vote for a narcissist.

 

[lazarus2405]

Eurynom0s[/url]":190i13ce]This still doesn't solve the problem of EpiPen prescriptions only being allowed to be filled with EpiPen since it has no FDA-approved generic equivalents, right?

When I refilled an EpiPen prescription for a family member this Fall, I found that the pharmacy had in fact substituted it with a generic of AdrenaClick, without any intervention on my part. I don't know whether the prescribing doctor had intervened. Regardless, it's a pretty low burden to call your doctor's answering service and leave a message asking the script be rewritten to Adrenaclick instead. Most physicians are not unsympathetic on this particular issue.

Also, I take issue with the "$55" figure in the headline. That's sort of like saying there's a new pair of Nikes for $110 that only cost $55 "each". Adrenalin autoinjectors are always sold in pairs so that the second one is available to re-dose if the first one wears off before you reach the hospital. It isn't a 2-pack for convenience. You can't store one at work and one in your car. If you have a reaction but only end up using one injector, you'd better believe you're going to need to refill with a replacement pair.

 

[fitten]

Coriolanus[/url]":2xmrdkmk]

Master P[/url]":2xmrdkmk]

seppukufor$20[/url]":2xmrdkmk]

Unzip_for_Harambe[/url]":2xmrdkmk]This is why I voted for Trump: Capitalism works.

Why do you think issues with pricing occurred in the first place? Capitalism.

There can't be capitalism if there is a government enforced monopoly via patents and FDA approvals.

What would you like instead of FDA approvals - allowing companies to sell patent medicine that does nothing or sicken people, and letting the market put them out of business when their customers die?

Yeah, the Right tends to forget that we already tried that once... which is why the FDA came about.

 

[milan616]

Eurynom0s[/url]":2kqq8zko]This still doesn't solve the problem of EpiPen prescriptions only being allowed to be filled with EpiPen since it has no FDA-approved generic equivalents, right?

This is the generic version of the Adrenaclick, a competing Epinephrine injector, being manufactured by the manufacturer of Adrenaclick itself (and therefore already have FDA approval).

That doesn't answer the question of if Adrenaclick can offered on an EpiPen prescription. They aren't alternatives to each other according to the FDA, even though both are approved for the auto-injection of epinephrine.

 

[benambro]

Unzip_for_Harambe[/url]":3amb198o]This is why I voted for Trump: Capitalism works.

I don't think you understand what the word capitalism means. Under capitalism, trade and industry, i.e., the means of production, is controlled by private parties instead of the government.

It wasn't the government price gouging user of life-saving product. It was a private company.

Competition works. And the tariffs Trump wants to impose is bad for competition.

 

[NotJustAnotherRandmGuy]

bthylafh[/url]":3f26qez4]$110 is still a hell of a lot of money.

A lot of money, yes but still attainable. 600 is out of the realm of possibility for many if not most.

Now that there is actual competition in this space the prices will hopefully get lower.

 

[Hopefully Smarter]

jdietz[/url]":1q6mf8xd]Why is it priced so far below the next closest competitor?
Government rules require buying from the lowest bidder, so they should price at 90% of the competition's price to ensure they will get the government's business every time.

Looking at a competitor's pricing and then changing your own isn't collusion, especially if you're changing your price to be lower than the competitor's.

Go join the Drump cabinet. Medicine is not mercenary except here in the USA, where any idiot can make money off the suffering of others.

 

[Saikaici]

seppukufor$20[/url]":3m15i3dp]

ChodaBoy[/url]":3m15i3dp]

seppukufor$20[/url]":3m15i3dp]

Unzip_for_Harambe[/url]":3m15i3dp]This is why I voted for Trump: Capitalism works.

Why do you think issues with pricing occurred in the first place? Capitalism.

Greed != Capitalism

But greed goes hand in hand with rampant capitalism. Capitalism has no place in healthcare.

Eh, all our systems rely on humans that have more than a shred of self decency. Any social government system is broken when you factor in the lottery of psychopaths.

Capitalism addresses certain things, socialism addresses others. Both are susceptible to Shkrelis in the world. It's also why modern 1st world governments blend the two.

 

[ColdWetDog]

kezeka[/url]":vka2u5s9]

Eurynom0s[/url]":vka2u5s9]This still doesn't solve the problem of EpiPen prescriptions only being allowed to be filled with EpiPen since it has no FDA-approved generic equivalents, right?

In medicine we often interchangeably use trade names with generic names. Epi pen orders in our hospital pharmacy result in the patient getting whatever epinephrine auto injector we currently have on formulary. I assume outpatient pharmacies are able to interpret prescriptions similarly as long as generic substitutes are permitted on the initial rx.

This is great news!

Yes, it's good news. But your pharmacy may be doing it wrong...

Depending on your location this could be illegal. In the US, there is no "AB" generic for the EpiPen(™). That means the FDA hasn't decided if the generics are *directly* substitutable for the branded product (without input from the prescriber).

http://acaai.org/resources/connect/lett ... b-editor-6

This isn't a matter of the drug itself - epinephrine at 1:000 dilution is pretty much the easiest drug you could make. It's a matter of the injector. They're all subtly different so the concern is that in an emergency, having something different might be a problem.

Your pharmacy may have some standing orders signed by the docs which allow this, but as a general rule it's not allowed. Of course, it's pretty easy for the pharmacist to call the doc, ask them to change the script slightly and then counsel the patient about the differences. This is indeed what pharmacists are trained to do. Happens all the time.

 

[Hopefully Smarter]

Baron von Robber[/url]":htr5qoof]

Master P[/url]":htr5qoof]

seppukufor$20[/url]":htr5qoof]

Unzip_for_Harambe[/url]":htr5qoof]This is why I voted for Trump: Capitalism works.

Why do you think issues with pricing occurred in the first place? Capitalism.

There can't be capitalism free markets if there is a government enforced monopoly via patents and FDA approvals.

Read the history of economics. No, really read and understand. Res markets are a hoax. Crony capitalism rules the day. You are watching the players rapidly change here, but not the game.

Drump is the latest phenomenon in a long history of sober barons.

Get ready to be screwed.

 

[cogwheel]

jdietz[/url]":1bdo533d]Why is it priced so far below the next closest competitor?
Government rules require buying from the lowest bidder, so they should price at 90% of the competition's price to ensure they will get the government's business every time.

Looking at a competitor's pricing and then changing your own isn't collusion, especially if you're changing your price to be lower than the competitor's.

This is easy. Mylan has been skewered in the media for it's pricing, so CVS and Impax, with this pricing, are betting that the result will be a lot of good press and good will from the public. I doubt that these devices are a large bottom line item for CVS anyway, and Impax is likely still making plenty of profit from them (as the article says, this is what EpiPens used to cost about 10 years ago, right before the financial crash). Capitalist decisions don't need to be short-sighted bottom line tomorrow decisions.

 

[Ransom Stoddard]

Hopefully Smarter[/url]":1wvaxych]

Baron von Robber[/url]":1wvaxych]

Master P[/url]":1wvaxych]

seppukufor$20[/url]":1wvaxych]

Unzip_for_Harambe[/url]":1wvaxych]This is why I voted for Trump: Capitalism works.

Why do you think issues with pricing occurred in the first place? Capitalism.

There can't be capitalism free markets if there is a government enforced monopoly via patents and FDA approvals.

Read the history of economics. No, really read and understand. Res markets are a hoax. Crony capitalism rules the day. You are watching the players rapidly change here, but not the game.

Drump is the latest phenomenon in a long history of sober barons.

Get ready to be screwed.

I wish trump was a sober baron. But alas, he is a robber baron, as you probably intended to type.

 

[ColdWetDog]

Hopefully Smarter[/url]":2b639ahl]

Baron von Robber[/url]":2b639ahl]

Master P[/url]":2b639ahl]

seppukufor$20[/url]":2b639ahl]

Unzip_for_Harambe[/url]":2b639ahl]This is why I voted for Trump: Capitalism works.

Why do you think issues with pricing occurred in the first place? Capitalism.

There can't be capitalism free markets if there is a government enforced monopoly via patents and FDA approvals.

Read the history of economics. No, really read and understand. Res markets are a hoax. Crony capitalism rules the day. You are watching the players rapidly change here, but not the game.

Drump is the latest phenomenon in a long history of sober barons.

Get ready to be screwed.

Sober barons? Well, of all the things Trump has been accused of, being an alcoholic isn't one of them. But he's definitely punch drunk on power. And himself.

Doesn't need much else.