The Price of EpiPens: A Matter of Life and Death

How Regulatory Gaps and Government Inaction Enabled Exorbitant Margins on a Lifesaving Drug

Abstract

This article examines how the EpiPen achieved market dominance through patent extensions to stifle competition, strategic lobbying efforts, drug misclassification, price hikes, and other ethically questionable practices in the pharmaceutical industry. Despite facing significant public backlash and legal action for its practices, Mylan capitalized on regulatory gaps, weak enforcement, and the government’s delayed response to anticompetitive behavior. These systemic failures enabled the company to exploit its near-monopoly on life-saving medicines like the EpiPen. By examining corporate misconduct and governmental oversight shortcomings, this analysis reveals the intricate relationship between profit-driven pharmaceutical strategies and systemic flaws in healthcare regulation, uncovering the industry's broader challenges.