Epipen financials

Epinephrin injections seem to be a necessity for those with severe allergic reactions.  Without blaming anybody these injections add a $300-$600 yearly cost to the patients. 

If I go to a pharmacy and ask about "epipens" there seems to currently be only one manufacturer (Mylan Specialty in basking Ridge) though there will soon be another one.  That seems strange to me - is it really that hard to make epinephrine?  The cost is $285 for a two-pack.  Yes, contrary to the manufacturer's website they seem to only come in two packs.  And yes, there is an expiration date on them forcing the patients to shell out $285 per year, every year (I believe the expiration is one year).  And if you only use one in that year, you still have to buy another two.

It gets worse if the patient is a school age child.  In that case parents have to buy a second two-pack and give to the school.  Each child has to have its own because they come with individual prescriptions.  The prescriptions all say the same thing.

Last year Illinois made it possible for doctors to prescribe epipens to a school instead of to individual patients. 

I have asked State Senator Bob Gordon, State Assemblyman Tim Eustace and State Assemblywoman Connie Wagner to replicate this law in NJ.