On  August 25, Mylan Pharmaceutical Company released the new price for the EpiPen. The company pushed a 500% increase into billions of dollars, the CEO now making 19 billion dollars. The injector contains 0.3 mg of epinephrine, a chemical that can reverse the effects of a life threatening allergic reaction.

“This price hike is horrible and very concerning. FCPS provides EpiPens to every student when needed, paid for by FCPS, but these EpiPens need to be affordable for others,”said Mrs. Jessica Earley, School Nurse.

The problem with the price when it comes to FCPS, that is the Mylan EpiPen is safer than a generic. The generic version of the EpiPen, after use, leaves the needle exposed causing potential danger for the victim and other students and staff around them.

“The EpiPen itself is not worth the money, but to save your child’s life or your own it is,”said Earley.

Shelby Iager, LHS class of 2017, said, “Mylan is just trying to create a profit, like every company, but this could take a toll on some families if they don’t have insurance.”

Some people believe that the price of the EpiPen may fall in the future now that it has become a political discussion.

“I went to buy an EpiPen in August and the price had gone up from $550 to $660 from the last time I bought one in May of this year. We were so lucky that our insurance covered the cost. The epinephrine expires in twelve months and most often go unused. It will be interesting to see the price after the discussion of health care affordability,” said Mrs. Heather Iager.

Schools have always been careful when it comes to allergies, like having ‘peanut free’ tables and noticing if someone is eating something in the classroom that is putting someone in danger. Social Studies Teacher, Darren Hornbeck feels it’s not a problem here in school, but it is a problem for families. He is also affected by this change in price since he has allergies himself.

“Changing the price of the EpiPen is the moral thing to do. Not the right thing, the moral thing. Mylan is morally responsible for raising the price of the product, but it is still a terrible thing for it is hard for people to afford the medicine they need to live,” said Hornbeck.