The fallout from Mylan’s EpiPen pricing controversy appears to be taking a toll, according to a new analysis
Medical records and billing company Athenahealth published a report analyzing data from more than 1,400 medical providers showing prescriptions for alternatives to the brand-name allergy shot quadrupled in the beginning of the year.
Competing products like Kaleo’s Auvi-Q and CVS Health’s Adrenaclick accounted for only 5.3 percent of prescriptions for these devices in December 2016. Those numbers jumped to 14.8 in January and then reached 28.9 percent last month.
“Patients and providers might be reaching for the alternatives and generics that have recently hit the shelves, as the industry responds to widespread demand,” the report suggested regarding the uptick.
Kaleo re-launched Auvi-Q last month, which provides audio instructions designed to guide users through the administration process. Its list price is $4,500 for a two pack, but the firm launched a patient assistance program to drastically lower out-of-pocket costs.
CVS is selling the generic Adrenaclick for a total of $10 thanks to a deal with the original manufacturer and a $100 discount coupon. These syringes are available at all of CVS’s stores.
Plus, insurers like Cigna curtailed their coverage plans to only include Mylan’s generic version of the EpiPen, which can impact prescription patterns too.
You can check out a chart from AthenaHealth’s report below.
Source: AthenaResearch
Filed Under: Drug Discovery
