CVS Health plans drastic price cut on generic epi-pens

CVS partnered with Impax to acquire the devices at a lower cost.
CVS partnered with Impax to acquire the devices at a lower cost. | File photo
Following recent public reaction to the price of epinephrine auto-injector pens, known as “epi-pens,” and the desire for an affordable alternative, CVS Health intends to market authorized generic version two-packs for $109.99 apiece.
Although still a three-digit number, the FDA-approved, life-saving medication’s cost is now more feasible than the comparable $339.99 charged for the generic equivalent, let alone $649.99 for the EpiPen brand product.
"As a health care company focused on helping people on their path to better health, we recognized that there was an urgent need in the marketplace for a less-expensive, epinephrine auto-injector for patients with life-threatening allergies," CVS Pharmacy President Helena Foulkes said in a statement from the company’s Rhode Island headquarters.
Foulkes explained that CVS partnered with a company called Impax to acquire the devices at a lower cost to pass the savings on to customers.
"We are thrilled to work with CVS Health to increase access to our low-cost, generic Adrenaclick epinephrine auto-injector," Douglas Boothe, Impax Laboratories’ generics division president, said. "Families need and deserve an affordable option to treat severe allergies."
The $109.99 price applies regardless of insurance, helping families to meet their deductibles when applicable.