Meng Requests Congressional Hearing on EpiPen Price Increases

This morning, U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) submitted a letter to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform requesting a hearing on the price increase of EpiPens sold by Mylan N.V.

EpiPens are autoinjectors used to inject epinephrine into individuals suffering anaphylaxis, a serious allergic reaction that could result in death.

“As a mother, and as a Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Congressional Kids’ Safety Caucus, I urge my colleagues on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to look into the recent price increase of EpiPens. Thousands of Americans rely on EpiPens in a given year, and perhaps no time is more important in the purchasing of these devices than the beginning of a new school year,” said Meng. “The free market can be a wonderful engine for good in our society, and it has certainly led to the production of countless medical innovations. We must be vigilant, however, to not cross the line of price-gouging, especially when a product has been around for a generation and is incredibly cheap to produce. It is my hope that every parent with a child who suffers from serious allergies can find an EpiPen, or its equivalent, that their household afford.”

According to the Forbes.com article “Why Did Mylan Hike EpiPen Prices 400%? Because They Could,” Mylan N.V. acquired the EpiPen autoinjector in 2007, at which time EpiPens cost about $57. Today, they can cost more than $500 even though less than one dollar’s worth of epinephrine may be injected.

A copy of Meng’s letter can be found here.