Lowest Cost EpiPen: It’s All in How You Write the Script
May 8th, 2017 | ArchiveSince last year’s highly publicized price hike, several new epinephrine auto-injector products have come to market, including a branded-generic of Mylan’s EpiPen. Brand and branded-generic EpiPen are both manufactured by Mylan, who proclaims on its website “the device functionality and drug formulation are identical to the branded medicine”.
| Product Name | – | – | AWP* | – | – | Proprietary Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auvi-Q | $5400.00 | Brand | ||||
| EpiPen | $730.33 | Brand | ||||
| Adrenaclick | $553.12 | Brand | ||||
| Epinephrine auto-injector | $375.00 | Branded-Generic (produced by Mylan) |
*Average wholesale price for one 2-pack of 0.3 mg/0.3 ml or 0.15 mg/0.15 ml
In New York State, a pharmacist is required by law to dispense a generically available product unless “DAW” is indicated on the prescription. However, Mylan’s epinephrine auto-injector was approved as a branded-generic and therefore the law mandating generic substitution does not apply. Writing prescriptions for “epinephrine auto-injector” rather than “EpiPen” or “Adrenaclick” will permit the pharmacist to dispense the lowest cost alternative to patients based on their insurance.
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