A Wisconsin advocacy group has blasted Mylan, the maker of allergy treatment EpiPen not only for alleged price gouging, but also giving money to influential lawmakers.
According to data compiled by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, a campaign spending watchdog, since 2014, Mylan’s corporate PAC has made thousands of dollars in contributions in Wisconsin exclusively to majority Republican state legislators, focusing on those who serve on the Senate Health Committee.
Federal lawmakers have said Mylan has a virtual monopoly on the drug, which is administered during times of severe and potentially fatal allergic reactions. The list price of about $600 for a two-pack of the emergency injection treatment is a sharp rise from about $100 in 2009.
Robert Kraig is Executive Director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin. He says the drug was developed with federal tax money. He says the company made contributions to Wisconsin legislators...
"....given over $24,000 to state legislators, especially on the Wisconsin Senate Health Committee, who in return developed a bill to expand Epipen's market to schools,colleges, universities, recreational programs, etc...."
Kraig says after getting nearly exclusive use, the prices went up...
"....it's very much, as far as a business practice, is like selling basic necessities at inflated prices during a national disaster...."
Monday, Mylan began offering a generic version of the EpiPen for half the list price of the brand-name treatment.
