As someone who has multiple anaphylactic food allergies, carrying medication around with me is something I am used to. One of the most important medications being an EpiPen. For someone who may not be as familiar with an EpiPen, it is a medical device that auto injects epinephrine into your body when needed for anaphylaxis. Researchers have estimated that 32 million Americans have food allergies and people are told to purchase epinephrine medications when diagnosed with food allergies in case of a reaction.
But these medications are nowhere near cheap. The brand EpiPen can cost around $650-$700 which is not affordable for most Americans. EpiPens must also be replaced every 18 months due to a shorter shelf life. An expired EpiPen may not inject the correct amount, the epinephrine may not work, or the EpiPen may not inject anything at all. People with severe allergies can grow out of them but they typically last a lifetime. To be spending $700 every year and a half all your life is way out of the budget for most people.
EpiPen and other epinephrine auto-injector brands must reduce their prices for their devices. These devices can save the lives, including mine, of the estimated 32 million Americans with food allergies and even more people with other allergies. These devices must be more affordable for everyone so we can be safe and have the device if needed. It is unacceptable for someone with anaphylaxis to live in fear of a reaction because they are not able to afford the correct medication. I need your help to bring awareness to this issue and to help brands make these devices more affordable for the American population.
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