Canonsburg, Pa.-based Mylan has come under fire for its high pricing of EpiPen. However, Americans keep purchasing the drug despite a less expensive and equally safe alternative being available on the market, according to CBS News.
Here are six key notes:
1. A CBS San Francisco consumer-investigative reporter noted that Mylan's focus on marketing may be the reason behind its contenders' lack of sales. Mylan has funneled a large amount of resources into its marketing efforts, with several commercials speaking to the fear that accompanies an allergic reaction.
2. In the commercials, the ads relay a message of how young children could have died from an allergic reaction, but EpiPen saved their lives. Each year, Mylan spends $85 million on marketing.
3. Despite EpiPen's exorbitant prices, many consumers are not aware that the FDA approved a generic auto-injector last year. Ronn Berrol, MD, director of the emergency department at Oakland, Calif-.based Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, likened this occurrence to another consumer product — Kleenex. He told CBS News, "It's like Kleenex. We don't say facial tissue. When I think of an epinephrine auto-injector, the first word that comes to mind is EpiPen."
4. Many providers think if they write "EpiPen or generic equivalent" on a prescription, then the pharmacist can prescribe either. However, pharmacists are legally obligated to prescribe EpiPen if it is written on the prescription unless the pharmacist calls the prescriber to change it.
5. EpiPen and the generic have a handful of differences, however. The EpiPen has one cap for consumers to remove prior to use, and the generic has two. EpiPen's needle automatically retracts following injection, but the generic's needle does not. Additionally, consumers hold down EpiPen between 10 second to 30 seconds, while consumers hold down the generic's injection for 10 seconds.
6. More competition may be entering the market, including the Adreniclick epinephrine auto-injector. Mylan is also in the process of developing an EpiPen generic.
