The price of life-saving EpiPens has skyrocketed, and that's a dilemma for parents

Since the drugmaker Mylan bought EpiPen in 2007, the wholesale price has jumped from less than $100 for a set of two epinephrine dispensers to as much as $700, and that is prompting some tough decisions for parents whose children are allergic to nuts, dairy, bee stings, and other allergens, The New York Times reports. Children with serious allergies typically need a set of EpiPens at home and one for school, and as children prepare to return to the classroom, their parents — especially those with high-deductible insurance plans or no insurance — are suffering sticker shock.

Naomi Shulman's 12-year-old daughter is allergic to cashews, for example. Last year, the Massachusetts mother paid less than $100 per two-pack, but this year the same package cost her $400. "I called the insurance company and asked why it was so high and was told that, actually, it's $700 total, and my co-pay is $400," she told The New York Times. She considered not buying them, but realized she had to. "It's gouging parents about their children's lives," she said. "It's not like letting them sniffle. It's life or death." Other parents are relying on expired pens or taking the risky step of filling their own syringes with epinephrine.

Mylan has suggested in a statement that the fault for rising consumer costs lies with high-deductible insurance plans. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) says the price spike could be related to EpiPen's primary competitor, Sanofi's Auvi-Q, withdrawing from the market; she has called on the Federal Trade Commission to investigate. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) is also pointedly asking Mylan for an explanation. You can read more at The New York Times and STAT.

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