FDA Approves New, Cheaper Rival to EpiPen Allergy Shot

There are now several cheaper alternatives to the exorbitantly priced EpiPens that should please EMS agencies. ABC News has shared this story:   U.S. regulators have approved new competition for EpiPen, the emergency allergy medicine that made Mylan a poster child for pharmaceutical company greed. The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved Adamis Pharmaceuticals Corp.'s product, which should go on sale later this year. Read more... This month’s cover story on the King County Washington EMS system (click here for a link to the article) focuses on their system’s move away from Mylan’s exorbitantly priced EpiPens.  The change has saved their system $334,000 annually in restocking alone simply by training their EMTs to draw up and inject epi intramuscularly. Now, a second alternative is available to BLS and ALS services, as well as the public, because the FDA had approve the sale of the new Symjepi injector that will go on sale later this year. The Symjepi injector, manufactured by San Diego-based Adamis Pharmaceutical Corp., is easier to use than an EpiPen (important for training of EMS personnel and first responders), smaller than an EpiPen (easier to store in EMS kits), sold in syringe pairs and comes with a training device. EPI Pens currently cost an outrageous $630 - $700 without insurance coverage and the new Adamis generic Symjepi injector will retail for $225 - $425 about 1/3rd to 1/2 the cost of the larger, harder-to-use, EpiPen. Read More at ...
Source: JEMS: Journal of Emergency Medical Services News - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Patient Care News Source Type: news