Members Of Congress Rip Into Mylan CEO

In a blistering hearing on Wednesday, members of Congress went after Mylan CEO Heather Bresch amid uproar over the soaring price of EpiPens. Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, kicked off the proceedings by stressing the importance of being able to access EpiPens ― auto injectors of epinephrine used to treat anaphylactic shock from a severe allergic reaction. “[An EpiPen] is not optional for someone that has severe allergic reactions ... They have to have this,” Chaffetz said. Mylan has raised the price of EpiPens from $100 for one pen in 2007 to $608 for a set of two pens, leaving many Americans struggling to afford the life-saving medication.  There is no generic auto injector of epinephrine currently on the market, nor is there a major competitor for the EpiPen. Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) called for a change in drug pricing, citing controversial former Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO Martin Shkreli’s blatant disregard for the committee’s last call for a reduction in skyrocketing drug prices. “Yet another drug company, Mylan, has jacked up the price of a life-saving product for no discernible reason,” Cummings said. “They raised the prices, for the reason being, I believe, to get filthy rich at the expense of our constituents.”  Here’s what parents of kids with life-threatening allergies think of the EpiPen price increases. Responding to...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news