FDA and access to medications

By: Janet Woodcock, M.D. A severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis is a medical emergency that affects the whole body and, in some cases, leads to death. If you have had an anaphylaxis episode, you always face the risk of another one. To mitigate the risk you or your caregiver should carry an emergency treatment called epinephrine at all times, because every second counts. At the FDA, we understand how important it is for this treatment to be safe, effective, and work correctly every time. And in the case of a very severe reaction such as anaphylaxis, when there may be no second chance, the device that delivers the medication is just as critical. EpiPen, a popular form of emergency epinephrine that auto-injects the dose, is one of these treatments. But sometimes, when medications become prohibitively expensive, some people lose access to a potentially life-saving treatment. When that happens, people often look to the FDA. Recent news about the price spike of EpiPen has caused concern. In addition, the EpiPen product has patents listed through 2025 that could delay generic competition. And so we are asked, what role does the FDA play? The FDA doesn’t regulate drug prices – prices are set by the drug makers or distributors. It’s our job to ensure medications, including emergency medications, are safe and effective. We also recognize when we approve new drugs, including generic versions of a drug, it may improve competition in the marketplace. The good news is that the...
Source: Mass Device - Category: Medical Equipment Authors: Tags: Blog FDA Source Type: news