ABBIE’S CORNER

Drug Price Gouging: Will There Ever Be an End?

By Abbie Cornett

ONE YEAR LATER , and another drug involving discrimination under the 340B by a small minority needing specialty drugs pricing scandal makes headlines with the drug discount program. 2 On Sept. 23, 2015, for rare diseases. The EpiPen controversy familiar scenario of escalating pricing of a congressional oversight committee issued a brought the fight into the mainstream. an old patent drug for unseemly profit. letter to Shkreli and Turing Pharmaceuticals EpiPen, which is used to treat life- This time, it’s Pharmaceuticals requesting information on the decision to threatening allergies, is a “brand so common and its product EpiPen. raise the price of Daraprim. Then, in it’s used like Kleenex, one that millions To recap my column in the Feb-Mar December 2015, amid the scandal of of children carry in their backpacks.” 4 2017 edition about a similar situation, the Daraprim and a federal indictment, Shkreli Parents of children with severe allergies poster child for bad behavior in the pharma- resigned as CEO of Turing. have grown increasingly frustrated with the ceutical industry, of Flash forward almost a year later, and rising cost of the drug. This frustration Turing Pharmaceuticals, made interna - the names have changed but the practice came to a head at the beginning of the tional news when he raised the price of hasn’t. Now, the company is Mylan and school year, when an electronic petition was Daraprim () from $13.50 the drug EpiPen. In 2007, Mylan circulated to “stop the EpiPen gouging” and to $750 a pill, a more than 5,000 percent “acquired the rights to the drug and has was signed by almost 150,000 people. 5 increase. Daraprim was developed in 1953 steadily increased the per-dose list price The question is: What can be done to stop and “is the only available to from $50 a shot to $304,” 3 or more than predatory pricing practices? Is public outrage treat , an infection contracted $600 for a two-pack, the only way it is sold. going to reach a point that forces political leaders to make a policy decision? Recently, CBS News interviewed Martin Shkreli about the increased price of EpiPen and drug When is the public outrage going to pricing in general. For all of his bad behav - ior, he stated something that resonated with reach a point when political leaders me about government subsidization and reg ulation of these types of medicines: “We make a policy decision? want so bad for these medicines to be prized and holy and above the normal laws of capi - talism that I think it’s not such a bad idea.” 6 from cat parasites that can cause birth Like a bad case of déjà vu, Mylan’s I will continue to keep you updated on defects. It is also used as a co-treatment for CEO, Heather Bresch, was asked by the this topic. HIV infections, some cancers and malaria.” 1 House Committee on Oversight and Because of its small market share, no Government Reform to account for her ABBIE CORNETT is the patient advocate for generic alternative has been developed. company’s actions. 4 In what appears as IG Living magazine. She can be reached at patient [email protected] or (800) 843-7477 x1366. This drastic increase in the price of an old either an attempt to avoid government drug shed a light on the ugly pricing action or a public relations move, Mylan References 1. Seidman, B. Drug Price Increase 5,000 Percent Overnight. CBS News, practices of some in the pharmaceutical almost immediately announced the Sept. 22, 2015. Accessed at www.cbsnews.com/news/generic-drug-price- increases-5000-percent-overnight. industry, and became a political hot potato release of a generic version priced at $300 2. Committee on Oversight and Government Reform letter to Martin Shkreli, 3 Sept. 23, 2015. Accessed at democrats.oversight.house.gov/sites/democrats. when several physician groups, patient for the two-pack. While much less than oversight.house.gov/files/documents/2015-09-23%20EEC%20to%20 Martin%20Shkreli.pdf. support groups and members of industry the current price, it is still significantly 3. Koons, C, Keller, M, and Langreth, R. How EpiPen’s Price Rose and Rose. Bloomberg , Sept. 1, 2016. Accessed at www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2016-epipen-pricing. cried foul. In response, the National Alliance more than the price of the drug when the 4. Staton, T. Mylan Faces More Epipen Scrutiny as House Committee Demands Info. FiercePharma , Aug. 29, 2016. Accessed at www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/ of State and Territorial AIDS Directors sent company purchased the patent in 2007. mylan-faces-more-epipen-scrutiny-as-house-committee-demands-info. a letter to the office of Pharmacy Affairs Historically, these types of disputes over 5. Kodjak, A. Maker of EpiPen to Sell Generic Version for Half the Price. NPR, Aug. 29, 2016. Accessed at www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/ within the Health Resources and Service pricing went largely unnoticed by the gen - 08/29/491797051/maker-of-epipen-to-sell-generic-version-for-half-the-price. 6. Martin Shkreli Weighs In on the Rising Costs of EpiPens, Fraud Charges. CBS Administration detailing possible violations eral public because they were battles fought News, Aug. 23, 2016. Accessed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoMlxVimwiU.

6 IG Living | December-January 2017 | IGLiving.com