In a time where technology is at its’ greatest yet, we humans are still lacking the knowledge of how important medical devices are, and how supply should always meet demand at an affordable cost. The thought of not having the resources needed to keep yourself healthy and alive is an idea no person would want to imagine. Unfortunately, this nightmare has now become a reality.
Many individuals in the United States are unable to afford EpiPen’s, as a result of severe price increases. What were once roughly $100.00, are now upwards of $600.00, with no change in the product itself. Families across the country are now unable to have access to this product (what was once given at a reasonable price), and are now facing danger if any of them encounter health-symptoms that require an EpiPen to aid them. It is at a time like this, that we need to ask ourselves: ‘When does it end?’.
It’s understandable that a businesses’ goal is to create profit. Whether these profits aim to be consistent or ever-so increasing depends on the company and the people involved, however, companies involved in the selling of products that have the purpose of keeping people alive need to put their resources first, and in front of their profit goals. By increasing the price of EpiPen’s by 400%, Mylan Pharmaceutical overlooked its ethical standards, making it difficult to finance these products by the average household, and thus putting peoples lives’ at risk. No company or person should have the ability to control the fate of someone elses’ life, yet this company is doing just that with this price increase. Profits are important, but not when it is deemed as more important than millions of lives. It’s as if Mylan is telling their customers that they need to save up over $600 for a life-saving device, but if they can’t afford this horrendous price, then they are on their own.
The worst is that no one can complain, as the EpiPen is only issued by Mylan’s. This leaves many people in the dark, with nowhere to go. I am hoping that the business officials of Mylan Pharmaceuticals ask themselves whether they’re truly helping people with this product. Obtaining this product is now becoming more of a dream than it is in real life. As White House spokesman Josh Earnest regarded, this situation is proof that “pharmaceutical companies that often try to portray themselves as the inventors of life-saving medication often do real damage to their reputation by being greedy and jacking up prices.” I hope that declining sales and public outcry will give this company no other choice than to decrease the prices again.
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Bibliography:
Zaleski, Mark. “EpiPen Price Furor Heats up in U.S.” CBCnews. CBC/Radio Canada, 2016. Web. 11 Sept. 2016.