The American Medical Association joined consumers and a handful of senators in scrutinizing Mylan's extreme price hikes for its life-saving EpiPen injection.
Since 2007, the price of EpiPens has increased by 400 percent, forcing some patients to pay as much as $700 for the medication.
Andrew W. Gurman, MD, president of the American Medical Association, issued the following statement regarding Canonsburg, Pa.-based Mylan's pricing practices.
"With Americans across the country sending their children back to school this month, many parents and schools are encountering sticker shock over the cost of EpiPens. Although the product is unchanged since 2009, the cost has skyrocketed by more than 400 percent during that period. The AMA has long urged the pharmaceutical industry to exercise reasonable restraint in drug pricing, and, with lives on the line, we urge the manufacturer to do all it can to rein in these exorbitant costs. With many parents required to buy two or more sets of EpiPens just to keep their children safe, the high cost of these devices may either keep them out of reach of people in need or force some families to choose between EpiPens and other essentials. The AMA will continue to promote market-based strategies to achieve access to and affordability of healthcare goods and services."
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