More than 40 million people at risk of a life-threatening allergy reaction called anaphylaxis depend on a drug called epinephrine to save their lives.
But the price of that drug, in the form of an EpiPen — a device designed for immediate injection into a person's body — recently skyrocketed, and has been the focus of controversy this week.
At the center is a large pharmaceutical company called Mylan, which makes billions on the device for allergy sufferers. Lawmakers and consumers are calling for an investigation into Mylan's pricing practices.
In 2007 when Mylan acquired the EpiPen auto-injector product, the cost was about $100. Today consumers must pay $600-$700 for a pack of two.
Two EpiPens are necessary at all times in case one pen doesn't work. The pens also expire annually.
Consumers have cried out that they can no longer afford this life-saving drug device, and that outcry prompted U.S. Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to respond. She called the price increase "outrageous."
Mylan said today it would provide a $300 savings card to customers to help cover the cost of a 2-pack. It originally offered a $100 savings card, according to the New York Times.
