Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Cost Of Life-Saving EpiPen Injectors Soars To $700 A Set
The Baltimore Sun: EpiPens Needed By Those With Severe Food Allergies Are Getting Expensive
Some families gearing up for the start of school have noticed that one important item for kids with severe food allergies has gotten a lot more expensive. With some retailers now charging more than $700 for a set of EpiPens, allergists say they’ve heard from some concerned parents. The marker-sized injectors are filled with epinephrine to stop an anaphylactic reaction. (Cohn, 8/19)
NBC News: Martin Shkreli Weighs In On EpiPen Scandal, Calls Drug Makers 'Vultures'
A growing chorus is calling on the Mylan pharmaceutical company to justify its price hikes on EpiPens, a potentially life-saving medication for children and others facing fatal allergies that has little real competition. ... Since the end of 2013, the price has gone up by 15 percent every other quarter. Doctors, parents, patients, and a former presidential candidate are speaking out on social media — and negative comments are filling up Mylan's Facebook page following an NBCNEWS.com story Wednesday. (Popken, 8/19)
