14 The Mylan Pharmaceuticals price hike

DOI: 10.4324/9781003094661-15

The EpiPen is a life-saving medication that treats anaphylactic reactions. These reactions are often caused by allergens such as nuts, seafood, or insect bites. Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that must be treated right away with a shot of epinephrine (i.e., adrenalin) (Gardner, 2020). Anaphylactic reactions could be deadly if left untreated.

Every year millions of Americans are prescribed EpiPen, making it a crucial part of their life. Over a period of five years, between 2009 and 2016, the price of EpiPens increased significantly in the United States. This caused an outrage and prompted a debate about Mylan, the company behind EpiPen. Customers were upset, ...

Get Communicating in Extreme Crises now with the O’Reilly learning platform.

O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.