Can you get a cheaper EpiPen?

Along with books, backpacks and sneakers, many parents are facing one more back-to-school expense: EpiPens.

EpiPen is the leading way to treat anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction that can stop breathing. The patented device makes it easy to inject yourself with the drug epinephrine in an emergency – easy enough that kids can do it, too. But while a dose of the decades-old drug costs just pennies to make, the self-injectable pen is expensive: GoodRx shows that the cost of a two-pack of EpiPen or EpiPen Jr starts at around $600.

Parents of children who need the lifesaving drugs have to buy several injectors for home and school, and those costs add up. Tracy Bush of Pfafftown, N.C., whose 14-year-old son relies on EpiPen for severe food allergies, says that even with health insurance, the family budget takes a hit. “We have to factor in EpiPen costs with other school expenses, including supplies and clothing, making our budget extra tight,” she says.

Here’s more information and options about emergency epinephrine auto-injectors.

Consider Adrenaclick

The good news is that there are cheaper options. We found a generic version of the Adrenaclick pen for $142 at Walmart and Sam’s Club, using a coupon from GoodRx. If you pay with insurance, you might also be eligible for an insurance co-pay coupon from the drug’s maker, Amedra Pharmaceuticals.

Adrenaclick uses a different technology than EpiPen, but both auto-injectors contain the same drug, available in the same dosages, says Barbara Young, a doctor of pharmacy with the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.

The key concern in switching, says Young, is that “patients may not be aware of differences in how to use the injector.” She advises making sure you know how to use the injector before leaving the pharmacy, as well as scheduling periodic refreshers. Research shows that people forget how to use the injector after about three months and need frequent retraining.

EpiPen costs on the rise

Since Mylan purchased EpiPen in 2007, the price has increased by more than 400 percent, according to the health data firm DRX.

“The astronomical cost increase is a very real problem,” says Dr. Andrew Murphy, a board-certified allergist at the Asthma, Allergy and Sinus Center in West Chester, Pa. High prices are one of the main reasons that people go without the lifesaving drug, according to a 2014 study published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.

Although Mylan has poured billions into marketing, company spokeswoman Julie Knell attributes increased consumer costs to more people enrolled in high-deductible health plans. “This change to the industry is not an easy challenge to address,” says Knell, but adds that the company is “committed to solutions.”

Currently, Mylan offers a coupon that cuts co-pays by up to $100 as well as a patient assistance program that provides free EpiPens for some patients without insurance.

The DIY syringe method

To further cut costs, some have resorted to using manual syringes and vials of epinephrine, which cost a few dollars each. But experts caution that the do-it-yourself system is complicated. You’ll need to be trained by a doctor or pharmacist on how to inject the drug quickly and accurately before attempting it in an emergency. And it’s critically important that you work with your pharmacist to make sure you get the proper dose.

You’ll also need to replace the syringe and epinephrine four times a year; the drug loses potency after just three months. (EpiPens and Adrenaclick pens should be replaced every 12 to 18 months.)

To learn more, visit ConsumerReports.org.

2016, Consumers Union Inc.

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