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New York Attorney General Investigates EpiPen Manufacturer

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman
WAMC

New York's attorney general says his office is investigating Mylan Pharmaceuticals, which has been criticized for steep price increases for its emergency allergy treatment EpiPen.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said Tuesday that a preliminary review shows the company "may have inserted potentially anticompetitive terms" into sales contracts with schools.

EpiPens are used in emergencies to treat severe allergic reactions to insect bites and foods like nuts that can lead to anaphylactic shock.

The price has grown to $608 for a two-pack, up more than 500 percent since 2007. The drugmaker says it will launch a generic version that will cost $300.

Canonsburg, Pennsylvania-based Mylan N.V. says more than 700,000 free EpiPens have been distributed to over 65,000 schools, and it has dropped a previous purchase restriction for schools that wanted more at discounts.

© 2016 AP

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Dave Lucas is WAMC’s Capital Region Bureau Chief. Born and raised in Albany, he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of local radio since 1981. Before joining WAMC, Dave was a reporter and anchor at WGY in Schenectady. Prior to that he hosted talk shows on WYJB and WROW, including the 1999 series of overnight radio broadcasts tracking the JonBenet Ramsey murder case with a cast of callers and characters from all over the world via the internet. In 2012, Dave received a Communicator Award of Distinction for his WAMC news story "Fail: The NYS Flood Panel," which explores whether the damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee could have been prevented or at least curbed. Dave began his radio career as a “morning personality” at WABY in Albany.
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