[drakonandor]

There are generic Epi-pens, which are much, much cheaper. You -do not- have to buy the name brand. Non-issue made big by the media and anti-capitalist hordes expecting more free stuff.

[adrr]

There is no generic of the Epi-Pens. There's other treatments similar to the epi-pen but if you have prescription to an epi-pen, there is no generic that pharmacist can change it out for.

[frozenport]

Is this true? See the first Google link:

https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/health/epipen-generic/

[caminante]

Parent comment's being sloppy. Parent meant to say that there are generic EpiPen alternatives (epinephrine + delivery system) but there isn't a generic EpiPen (name brand delivery system). Mylan claims that EpiPen (injector) has superior features and is easier to use.

Here's the relevant quote from the article you linked:

  "The patents that currently prevent a generic form of EpiPen 
  are on the injector device itself, not the medicine inside. 
  So, while you can’t get a generic EpiPen, there are 
  alternatives that use epinephrine."

[sndean]

Yeah, Sigma and many other companies sell grams of epinephrine for ~$50. The expensive part is getting it in your body.

Actually, the EpiPen only injects 0.3 mg. Or around 0.4 cents worth of epinephrine if you could intake what Sigma is selling.

EDIT: I think I was off by a decimal place... Anyway, the epinephrine is more or less free. Just paying for the device.

[burkaman]

I think people often try to avoid the generic version because teachers and counselors and others tend to be trained specifically with Epi-pens. You don't want people to be reading instructions when you need help.