This Might Hurt A Little

 

shutterstock_367395575The cost of living is going up. That is, the cost of staying alive if you’re someone who carries an EpiPen. Epinephrine is used for severe allergic reactions and if you don’t have it in some situations you’ll die. I can get a vial with 2-3 doses and some needles for a couple dollars and I hand these out to my flock for home use but the portable auto-injector now runs $550 (more according to the WSJ). These pens were over-priced at $100 nine years ago, but the price rose steadily and a competitor vanished.

Commercially insured patients have 80 percent of out-of-pocket costs covered (by the nasty crony manufacturer) while the company  sticks it to the insurance carriers, who stick it to the patients and the doctors. This idiocy known as coupons partially allows for inflated costs and the rest is cronyism and a failing medical system.

The layers of cronyism, bribes, corporate greed, and general wrongness in every area of medicine is just disgusting. The entirety of the business deserves socialized health care for their many many sins. We shall get it good and hard. Are we ready for Her?

Published in General
Like this post? Want to comment? Join Ricochet’s community of conservatives and be part of the conversation. Join Ricochet for Free.

There are 145 comments.

Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.
  1. Mark Coolidge
    Mark
    @GumbyMark

    My understanding is that the competitor ran into trouble with the FDA.  Is that correct?

    • #1
  2. Dave Sussman Member
    Dave Sussman
    @DaveSussman

    Mylan CEO Heather Bresch went from making $2,453,456 in 2007 to $18,931,068 in 2015, amounting to a 671% raise over 8 years while the price of the Epipen wholesale price went up 471%.

    Progressives in Congress are about to unleash the class warfare hounds which will include likely hearings. If the GOP is listening, get in front of this issue STAT.

    • #2
  3. Mountie Coolidge
    Mountie
    @Mountie

    You know, I just sit here and wonder “how does it all end”?

    It’s going to end you know. If you take all of the federal, state, and local debt we owe over $100 trillion. Something in me tells me that since, oh maybe 1988, these elections have been for show and fun. As Frank Zappa said: “Politics is the entertainment division of the military industrial complex”. The momentum has swung and we will hit the wall… Soon. This can’t go on ad nauseam.

    So are we ready for Her. Hell, why not. Her will preside over us, skim her graft and corruption, and us schmoes out here in fly over  country will be left holding the bag. I’ll vote for Trump because the thought of Her makes me ill. But I keep getting the feeling that this is all for show. The games up. The goose is cooked. We’re broke.

    • #3
  4. Mark Coolidge
    Mark
    @GumbyMark

    Dave Sussman:Mylan CEO Heather Bresch went from making $2.453,456 in 2007 to $18,931,068 in 2015, amounting to a 671% raise over 8 years while the price of the Epipen wholesale price went up 471%.

    Progressives in Congress are about to unleash the class warfare hounds which will include likely hearings. If the GOP is listening, get in front of this issue STAT.

    Heather Bresch’s maiden name is Manchin.  Her father is Joe Manchin, Democrat senator from West Virginia.

    • #4
  5. Dave Sussman Member
    Dave Sussman
    @DaveSussman

    Mark:

    Dave Sussman:Mylan CEO Heather Bresch went from making $2.453,456 in 2007 to $18,931,068 in 2015, amounting to a 671% raise over 8 years while the price of the Epipen wholesale price went up 471%.

    Progressives in Congress are about to unleash the class warfare hounds which will include likely hearings. If the GOP is listening, get in front of this issue STAT.

    Heather Bresch’s maiden name is Manchin. Her father is Joe Manchin, Democrat senator from West Virginia.

    Innnnteresting….

    • #5
  6. Carol Member
    Carol
    @

    Mark: Heather Bresch’s maiden name is Manchin. Her father is Joe Manchin, Democrat senator from West Virginia.

    So, I would guess two things will happen. 1)This will be swept under the rug. And 2),the Senator, who is a middle of the road kind of old fashioned Blue Dog Democrat , who I think has not endorsed Hillary, will suddenly see the light and swerve hard left.

    • #6
  7. Doug Watt Member
    Doug Watt
    @DougWatt

    A reasonable return is to be expected. I’m not a socialist but when you see stories like this I imagine pharmaceutical executives if they are men, with beards down to their ankles, and females sans make-up. I cannot imagine any of them could spend anytime looking at themselves in a mirror.

    • #7
  8. Johnnie Alum 13 Inactive
    Johnnie Alum 13
    @JohnnieAlum13

    The Left will no doubt blame these price increases (yes, obscene) on greed, cronyism, etc. They won’t lay blame on the corrupt, slow, inept, too-powerful FDA that leads to drug manufacturer monopolies.

    • #8
  9. Mark Coolidge
    Mark
    @GumbyMark

    With all the appropriate caveats here is the Wikipedia entry on the CEO.  Some very interesting stuff.  Named by Fortune Magazine as named one of “50 Most Powerful Women In Business” in 2012 and 2013.   She was recognized in Esquire’s 2011 “Patriots of the Year” list for her work pushing for the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act (FDASIA).

    • #9
  10. Paul Dougherty Member
    Paul Dougherty
    @PaulDougherty

    Are EpiPen’s covered by insurance?

    How many do people typical stock up on?

    Are they more used in Emergency rooms and Ambulances or patient applied?

    (just trying to get a picture of the market conditions that allow this to happen.)

    • #10
  11. TKC1101 Member
    TKC1101
    @

    Pharma innovation will be the next industry to go elsewhere.  We have put it in bed so far with the government that the damage is irreparable. Most of the costs and activity is drug approval not research.

    The current management are in a box and basically can only play a short personal game when the opportunity presents. Innovation gets tougher and tougher as the governments control most of the markets worldwide.

    I doubt we can open it back up to competition until some other country decides to be the innovator and attracts all the real talent there. Ireland, perhaps.

    I guess we are living too long anyway.

    • #11
  12. Mark Coolidge
    Mark
    @GumbyMark

    Looks like two market aspects contributed to this.

    First, expanded demand for Epipen. “Bresch advocated for broader availability of EpiPens in public places and helped pass the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act which made epinephrine more accessible in schools.”

    Second, fewer manufacturers.  One had to take its product off market because of FDA issues and another new generic producer has not been approved by FDA leaving Mylan as only manufacturer.

    More demand, less supply, does it every time.

    • #12
  13. Randy Webster Inactive
    Randy Webster
    @RandyWebster

    Mark: Heather Bresch’s maiden name is Manchin. Her father is Joe Manchin, Democrat senator from West Virginia.

    “Maiden name?”  You are such a sexist.

    • #13
  14. Mark Coolidge
    Mark
    @GumbyMark

    Randy Webster:

    Mark: Heather Bresch’s maiden name is Manchin. Her father is Joe Manchin, Democrat senator from West Virginia.

    “Maiden name?” You are such a sexist.

    That’s why if I’m worried if Hillary is elected.  I’m likely to be one of the first to be sent to a reeducation camp.

    • #14
  15. Son of Spengler Member
    Son of Spengler
    @SonofSpengler

    Paul Dougherty:Are EpiPen’s covered by insurance?

    How many do people typical stock up on?

    Are they more used in Emergency rooms and Ambulances or patient applied?

    (just trying to get a picture of the market conditions that allow this to happen.)

    My daughter had anaphylactic allergies for 18 years and carried epinephrine. We typically had 3-4 pairs at any given time: 1 on her person, 1-2 at school, 1 at home.

    Insurance covered 1-2 sets; the others always required a fight, which we invariably won. They expire in about a year, but it’s common to get some that have sat in the pharmacy for 3-6 months, so they need to be replaced frequently.

    Although she used Epi-Pens for most of her experience, when Auvi-Q came out we got her that. It was a huge improvement: Smaller to carry, easier to administer, idiot-proof to train. It had an onboard computer that talked you through the administration in an emergency, and it was spring-loaded so you pushed a button instead of jabbing the thing against your thigh.It was more expensive, and from year to year the insurance coverage varied. But I now see that Auvi-Q was taken off the market after the FDA began investigating whether it administered double doses in some cases. I haven’t looked into the strength of the FDA’s evidence.

    • #15
  16. DocJay Inactive
    DocJay
    @DocJay

    Paul Dougherty:Are EpiPen’s covered by insurance?

    How many do people typical stock up on?

    Are they more used in Emergency rooms and Ambulances or patient applied?

    (just trying to get a picture of the market conditions that allow this to happen.)

    They’re for home or car or business or school and are self administered.

    People usually need 2 or 3.

    It’s not a competitive market.  It’s predatory. The drug costs a penny and anyone of 40 autoinjectors for 50 cents could work.   It’s all a freaking disgrace and that CEO needs a hive full of stings , laryngeal obstruction and a nice talking to before she gets a shot.

    • #16
  17. RightAngles Member
    RightAngles
    @RightAngles

    I saw a news story about it this afternoon. It also revealed who her dad is. Sometimes I just think the Democrats are doing everything they can to lead us to single payer, which was the plan all along. This incident will also be played as “evil capitalism not caring about the sick.”

    • #17
  18. DocJay Inactive
    DocJay
    @DocJay

    RightAngles:I saw a news story about it this afternoon. It also revealed who her dad is. Sometimes I just think the Democrats are doing everything they can to lead us to single payer, which was the plan all along. This incident will also be played as “evil capitalism not caring about the sick.”

    Right you are.

    • #18
  19. Martel Inactive
    Martel
    @Martel

    Dave Sussman:Mylan CEO Heather Bresch went from making $2.453,456 in 2007 to $18,931,068 in 2015, amounting to a 671% raise over 8 years while the price of the Epipen wholesale price went up 471%.

    Progressives in Congress are about to unleash the class warfare hounds which will include likely hearings. If the GOP is listening, get in front of this issue STAT.

    HAHAHAHAHA!!!!  The GOP getting in front of an issue?  Like how after and entire decade of leftist politicians and people like Michael Moore talking about health care costs, and the GOP having control of both houses of congress and the presidency, the GOP’s response was Medicare Part D.  Then after the Dems pass Obamacare all of a sudden we have all sorts of great ideas on health care.\

    The GOP doesn’t get in front of issues; it’s much safer to let the Democrats define the terms of the debate and then just complain after they make things even worse.

    • #19
  20. RightAngles Member
    RightAngles
    @RightAngles

    Martel:

    HAHAHAHAHA!!!! The GOP getting in front of an issue? Like how after and entire decade of leftist politicians and people like Michael Moore talking about health care costs, and the GOP having control of both houses of congress and the presidency, the GOP’s response was Medicare Part D. Then after the Dems pass Obamacare all of a sudden we have all sorts of great ideas on health care.\

    The GOP doesn’t get in front of issues; it’s much safer to let the Democrats define the terms of the debate and then just complain after they make things even worse.

    I’m tellin’ you guys, the DNC has damaging photos of every last one of them with hookers or boys or worse. We have to enact term limits through the states and send every last one of those wastrels home. Never again let them get this ensconced and embedded in their graft and calumny.

    • #20
  21. Midget Faded Rattlesnake Member
    Midget Faded Rattlesnake
    @Midge

    Son of Spengler:

    Paul Dougherty:Are EpiPen’s covered by insurance?

    How many do people typical stock up on?

    Are they more used in Emergency rooms and Ambulances or patient applied?

    (just trying to get a picture of the market conditions that allow this to happen.)

    My daughter had anaphylactic allergies for 18 years and carried epinephrine. We typically had 3-4 pairs at any given time: 1 on her person, 1-2 at school, 1 at home.

    Our allergic reactions are juuust not-bad enough to make the expense of having epi-pens around seem silly. So, we don’t, unless the one relative who knows he would die if he sniffed a peanut is around. Personally, I think we’re kinda dumb for going camping without them. Even expired epi-pens can be useful for wilderness medicine, or so I’ve heard. D’oh, why have I not asked our peanut-sniffer to send us his expired ones for our wilderness kit? Must remember to do that… that is, assuming he’s not pinching pennies himself by hanging on to the expired ones.

    • #21
  22. James Gawron Inactive
    James Gawron
    @JamesGawron

    Doc,

    The last thing that would help this is an even bigger, even clumsier, even more corrupt government bureaucracy. When I get a clear shot like this from a physician who really knows I often wonder whether you could pull off an anti-trust suit. Accuse the company of unduly influencing the FDA (like that never happened before) and try to force the market open.

    When the logs are totally jammed you use dynamite.

    Regards,

    Jim

    • #22
  23. Herbert Member
    Herbert
    @Herbert

    Johnnie Alum 13:The Left will no doubt blame these price increases (yes, obscene) on greed, cronyism, etc. They won’t lay blame on the corrupt, slow, inept, too-powerful FDA that leads to drug manufacturer monopolies.

    Right…. isn’t that the conservative response?   Open up the drug development and sales process so that competitors can come in and set a true market price.

    an example of how whacked things are…. i’m on a anti fungal toenail treatment that retails for +$1200 a month Jublia (8 ml).  this drug (which requires treatment for 48 weeks) has a efficacy rate of around 17 percent, and even then I think there is a very high chance of the problem returning after treatment is completed.  I pay zero due to a program that reimburses copay from the manufacturer.

    • #23
  24. Paul Dougherty Member
    Paul Dougherty
    @PaulDougherty

    Thanks for the responses. I know nothing of this issue and I doubt the news stories will paint a complete picture.  One last question, Is it possible that inventories are not enough to cover demand?

    • #24
  25. Fake John/Jane Galt Coolidge
    Fake John/Jane Galt
    @FakeJohnJaneGalt

    Mountie: You know, I just sit here and wonder “how does it all end”?

    That one is easy my friend.  It ends in blood.  The old Liberty Tree is looking a little sickly.  Getting to be time for it to be refreshed again.

    • #25
  26. Herbert Member
    Herbert
    @Herbert

    Son of Spengler: But I now see that Auvi-Q was taken off the market after the FDA began investigating whether it administered double doses in some cases. I haven’t looked into the strength of the FDA’s evidence.

    I use a spring loaded injector for a different drug…. not sure how a double dose would be possible since the pen only has x amount in it that is expelled upon use.

    • #26
  27. DocJay Inactive
    DocJay
    @DocJay

    James Gawron:Doc,

    The last thing that would help this is an even bigger, even clumsier, even more corrupt government bureaucracy. When I get a clear shot like this from a physician who really knows I often wonder whether you could pull off an anti-trust suit. Accuse the company of unduly influencing the FDA (like that never happened before) and try to force the market open.

    When the logs are totally jammed you use dynamite.

    Regards,

    Jim

    Nationalized health care will be a nightmare.

    It’s coming though.  I have zero doubt just questions of when and how.

    • #27
  28. Mark Coolidge
    Mark
    @GumbyMark

    The Mylan PAC spreads around its political contributions, according to Open Secrets.org.

    Amounts by percentages for recent election cycles.  D first, R second.

    2016: 30 D, 70 R

    2014: 33/67

    2012: 54/46

    2010: 64/38

    2008: 54/46

    They contributed to McCain in 2008.  Doesn’t look like any contribution in the 2012 Prez race.

    The interesting thing is their PAC was not very active going back to 2000 and 2002.  It was only during Heather Bresch’s tenure as Director of Government Relations, that the PAC began raising and spending substantially more, averaging about 80K in each cycle.

    • #28
  29. Mark Coolidge
    Mark
    @GumbyMark

    Interesting op-ed by a former FDA deputy commissioner in the WSJ a few days ago on how FDA is making it more expensive and harder for manufacturers of generics (like the Epipen) to get to market.  You can read it here.

    • #29
  30. 6foot2inhighheels Member
    6foot2inhighheels
    @6foot2inhighheels

    DocJay:

    James Gawron:Doc,

    The last thing that would help this is an even bigger, even clumsier, even more corrupt government bureaucracy. When I get a clear shot like this from a physician who really knows I often wonder whether you could pull off an anti-trust suit. Accuse the company of unduly influencing the FDA (like that never happened before) and try to force the market open.

    When the logs are totally jammed you use dynamite.

    Regards,

    Jim

    Nationalized health care will be a nightmare.

    It’s coming though. I have zero doubt just questions of when and how.

    First Nationalization, then rationing.

    • #30
Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.