EpiPen price hike has more than monetary costs for Samo

A new controversy surrounding a 600 percent price increase in EpiPen brand epinephrine auto-injectors has caused the SMMUSD school board to rethink what they are stocking in nurses’ offices across the district.Many Samo students are allergic to things they run into daily, and rely on EpiPens to potentially save their lives. An EpiPen is a pen-shaped injection containing epinephrine which can be used to subdue almost all allergic reactions. They are used to raise severely low blood pressure, reverse itching and hives, allow airflow to the lungs and overall create more time to seek proper medical attention. EpiPens are popular for the fact that they are so easy to operate, and can be activated easily by anyone when necessary. Many students at Samo who require EpiPens can no longer afford them, therefore do not carry one on themselves at all times. The nurse and sports offices are required to stock a certain amount of EpiPens at school, but if the school needs to provide for those students not carrying their own EpiPen, it can cause issues, even if the school gets EpiPens for free. The more students that rely on EpiPens from Samo, the more the school needs to request EpiPens from the manufacturer.Currently, a pair of EpiPens cost approximately $600, a price that was set this past May. The company who produces the EpiPen, Mylan Pharmaceuticals, began increasing prices in 2009, when the price was under $100. By mid 2013, they costed around $250. Just last year, the price jumped another 75 percent, costing $460 per set.The only changes Mylan has made since buying EpiPen is that they have changed the applicator and the packaging in order to better the mechanics. According to Mylan, the redesigns costed millions of dollars, justifying the price raise.Although EpiPens can be essential for survival, these small pen cartridges can be easily misplaced, they expire yearly and they also need to be used. Therefore, paying $600 every time a scenario of these happens can be difficult for middle- and lower-class families. The $600 price is especially outrageous since epinephrine can be found for one dollar per milligram, and an EpiPen only uses a third of a milligram per dose.Some have even gone to the lengths of finding alternatives in order to save money from not buying the EpiPen, which has relatively no competition, due to the fact that the are they are owned by Mylan, which is by far the largest and most trusted company selling Epinephrine Auto-Injectors. Many people have resorted to buying a smaller, less effective version of the EpiPen, sold by a company called  Adrenaclick. Others have decided to use syringes to directly inject the epinephrine. The syringe method is especially dangerous since it can easily go wrong and would require some medical background to inject it effectively without harming the person.Although Mylan reached a $465 million settlement with the Justice Department for overpricing, it has not yet been finalized, causing price drops to be held in limbo.According to SMMUSD Community and Public Relations Officer Gail Pinsker, every school has EpiPens available for use in emergency situations.  She said the district remains committed to the safety of students and making sure every student’s health needs are met.“[The EpiPen] is an extremely important part of a school's medical kit as the use of EpiPens can make the difference of life or death or serious health consequences,” Pinsker explains. Though they are stocked at the school, field trips and outside or after school activities are times where it is important that students have an EpiPen with them. Currently the district is checking into whether or not it can supply economically-disadvantaged students with EpiPens, according to Lora Morn,SMMUSD Nurse Coordinator. “We are currently working with our insurance provider to learn more about our liability on this issue and ideally students who are approved to carry one, have their own with them at all times,” Morn said. UPDATESFriday, Nov. 4:  This article was updated with a correction to the original version which incorrectly identified Gail Pinsker as SMMUSD board member and responsible for stocking EpiPens on the Samo campus.  The article was as updated to reflect the correct title of Lora Morn.