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Statement

MomsRising Calls Mylan’s Announcement It Will Provide Coupons to Offset EpiPen Price Increase ‘Inadequate and Cynical’

August 25, 2016
Health Care

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

STATEMENT OF KRISTIN ROWE-FINKBEINER, Executive Director & CEO of MomsRising.org, On Mylan’s Action on EpiPen Pricing
“In the wake of public outcry and the threat of a U.S. Senate investigation, Mylan today announced that it won’t actually LOWER the cost of its lifesaving EpiPens, but will offer a discount coupon to some purchasers. Given that the company has increased the cost of this crucial medication 450 percent in the last three years, and the epinephrine itself costs a dollar to manufacture, this move is wholly inadequate and incredibly cynical. Mylan will still reap outrageous profits overcharging for a medication that many people need to survive.
 
“I come to this issue not only as the head of an organization that fights for moms and their families, but as the mother of a son who has life-threatening anaphylactic allergies to foods. We always keep two EpiPens on hand for him in case there’s any accidental cross-contamination of food. I was stunned when I went to the pharmacy to purchase two more and learned that the out-of-pocket cost is $730.
 
“Mylan cynically capitalized on its monopoly on this drug to dramatically increase the price and line the pockets of its already well-paid executives. My son captured it perfectly: ‘Companies who make lifesaving medicines like EpiPens deserve to make profits, but not at the expense of the lives of those they are supposed to help.’
 
“That’s precisely why we need Mylan to act in good faith and really end its price-gouging. We know this is possible. Canadian online pharmacies offer EpiPens for a little over a $100 per pen. While that is still quite high for many Americans, it is at least within a reasonable price range. MomsRising will continue to call on Mylan to truly lower the price of the EpiPen, as well as to increase access to this critical medicine, so that all people who need this lifesaving drug are able to afford it. The lives of Americans depend upon it.
 

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MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.