Mylan and Pfizer Respond to Our EpiPen Scarcity Query

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Earlier today we reported that the EpiPen shortage that has been plaguing Canada and the UK is now affecting US supply after the Wegmans market chain reported that they have run out of EpiPen epinephrine auto-injectors and have no idea when they will be replenished.
We reached out to our contacts at Mylan for clarification, who passed our request on to a spokesman for Pfizer, the manufacturer of EpiPen for Mylan.

We asked the following:

Two New York TV stations are reporting that Wegmans has run out of EpiPens with no replenishment in sight. We published an article on this today: https://snacksafely.com/2018/04/scarcity-of-epipens-now-affecting-the-united-states/

I seek answers to the following questions:

  • Are Pfizer’s production issues indeed impacting Mylan’s ability to keep US pharmacies supplied with EpiPens and their generics?
  • What caused the interruption in Pfizer’s production?
  • How pervasive is the current shortage of the supply and is it getting better or worse?
  • When does Mylan anticipate the current shortage will be remedied?

We have one of the largest readerships comprised entirely of food allergy families, many of whom are terrified at the prospect of a shortage like those in Canada and the UK coming to the US. I would GREATLY appreciate a timely response. Please let me know if you prefer a phone conversation… I am at your disposal to discuss.

Thanks and regards,
Dave Bloom
CEO, SnackSafely.com

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The response we received from Steve Danehy, Director Corporate Affairs for Pfizer, Inc was similar to the canned answer Reuters received some weeks ago:

Hi Dave,

Below is our statement on this matter.

Regards,
Steve

We are currently shipping product; however, supplies may vary from pharmacy to pharmacy. The FDA has not announced a shortage in the US. 

We understand how important this potentially life-saving product is to patients, and we are working closely with Mylan to monitor supply levels so patients have access to epinephrine auto injector products.

Evident from the feedback we have received from our readership is that EpiPens are in short supply at pharmacies all over the country. A number of people have reported their local pharmacy has no inventory and could provide no indication when their inventory will be replenished.

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Note that the FDA has not formally announced a shortage of EpiPen supply as of this writing.
As we reported earlier, there is no shortage of epinephrine auto-injectors available to consumers; Auvi-Q and Adrenaclick generic auto-injectors are unaffected. This is a production problem specific to EpiPen and the generic version of EpiPen, both manufactured by Pfizer and marketed/distributed by Mylan.
Please let us know if you have come across scarcity of EpiPen supply in your area by responding below and be sure to include your city.
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Dave Bloom
Dave Bloom
Dave Bloom is CEO and "Blogger in Chief" of SnackSafely.com.

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27 COMMENTS

    • it states generic pens avail,,,,,, but area’s are reporting shortage. ( sounds like CYA answers) But customers get the short end… .. Just like the thyroid medcine i must have, natonal back order. truth is plants doing slow down and short supply causing cost to rise… pharmacies are not buying at higher cost. Reminds me of monkey see , monkey do….. Unless they don’t want or want that new pen to be bought. ?

  1. Took 29 days to get a prescription for EpiPens filled in St Louis, MO due to “backorder”, per the pharmacy (CVS).

  2. We have to use Cvs because of our insurance and Cvs told my child’s allergist that they didn’t have th epi pen but could give us the generic which is 4 step to use it unlike the epi pen that’s 2 steps and they didn’t know when they would get it in so we had to switch to Walgreens to get it and that took 2-3 days with them.

  3. Shortage in Uxbridge, MA. I ordered 2 refill sets over a week ago and CVS is telling me that they are having a hard time filling them, that they pens are unavailable from the manufacturer.

  4. SAme as post by R.Resio. CVS in San Luis Obispo CA said shortage and unavailable from their supplier. They offered up another brand, with an unfamiliar delivery system. Insurance refused to pay for it. Finally found one on a shelf at a pharmacy 20 miles away. Why are we all being told there is no availability for generic Epi pens but the FDA denies it???

  5. Here’s an idea: Figure out how long epi pens really last and a extend the expiration date. According to some off the record tests our allergist does they probably last a few years even when treated badly. We never throw ours out, just store them in cool dry place in case of a serious crisis. Part of the problem is schools and such have to refuse expired pens and the date is not scientifically determined.

  6. Epipen Shortage in Tustin, California! None of the pharmacies in my area have any in stock, all on back order and no anticipated date as to when they will receive more. CVS, Walgreens, Costco, Walmart, RiteAid and small pharmacies (I’ve called them all) have no brand/generic in stock! Scary!!! Even OptumRx mail order doesn’t have any in stock. My kid had his first allergic reaction to a bee sting two days ago and I can’t get him an epipen anywhere!!! I’m praying my son’s doctor might have some samples when we go in for his follow-up appointment on Monday??? Shouldn’t be this hard to get life saving meds like this!!! Shame on these money hungry companies!!! Profits over lives unfortunately! So sad!!! Unbelievable!!!

    • I hope you guys found one! Is he young enough that he can use a Epipen Junior? That seems to be the only one available in our area of WA state, we go through some of the same suppliers as the California pharmacies. So sorry 🙁

  7. Shortage in New York (Long Island) at several CVS locations. They cannot tell me when they will be back in stock and had to get the Impax generic for now. I am not happy.

  8. Mylan brand epipens or Mylan generics unavailable in western Massachusetts CVS, including Northampton, Springfield, Holyoke, etc for more than a month throughout this region. Adrenaclick generics still currently available

  9. I work at a pharmacy in Tennessee. Our supplier cannot get any epinephrine injectors and cannot give an estimated time of arrival. One employee called Mylan and they couldn’t give an estimated time either.

  10. All the pharmacies in Snohomish County WA are out of stock. (And I work in a major retail pharmacy)
    Every manufacture of Epipen brand and generic are unavailable and they’re not giving us any release date.

    We spend hours everyday trying to find them for customers and the drug companies aren’t telling us anything. And it’s spring! The bees are coming out!

    It’s bad enough they raised the price by 400%, now people are literally going to die without one.
    Maybe that’s why they’re “unavailable”? So they can just re-release them and everyone will be so desperate for one that they won’t complain about the price.

  11. I have had a prescriotion in to my pharmacy in Pennsylvania for two weeks now. Still no epi pen supply received..

  12. I was just told there are no available EpiPens in Washington, DC. I tried to get a prescription filled in a NW DC CVS. They said no other local store has any EpiPens or generics. They haven’t had them for a week and a half and no timeline for when they will be available. What is going on?!?! I need them for my daughters camp starting in a couple weeks!

  13. Shortage in Tempe, AZ! Mine was ordered in April and my pharmacy (Safeway) is still saying that it is on back order and they have not been given an ETA….. this is ridiculous….

  14. None available in Quincy, Illinois. Also daughter in St.Louis, Mo. couldn’t find any at the Walgreens Stores. What are patients supposed to do? This is a critical matter!

  15. Shortage in Tampa Bay area. Walgreens in Ellenton FL are out with no known date of when they will be back in stock, along with the local area Publix Pharmacies, same response. This is insane. My son’s school will not take an expired Epipen. School started today and he has no emergency medicine in the nurse’s office. Unreal. Thankfully have my most recently expired pens just in case at least for home. I guess that is better than nothing. They have to last more than a year. What a rip off Mylan. Greedy!

  16. Called CVS, Express Scripts, and Accredo, and all are out of stock. What are my alternatives? Shortage in South Carolina!

  17. i just contacted our local walgreens and CVS on Long island and they are both out of stock. Walgreens indicates its an issue with the vendor and no date as to when they would come in.

  18. I can’t get an Epipen for my daughter, Brand, Generic, either retail or Mail Order. This is in Fort Myers FL. No one can say when they will get any in. When I asked what if she went into shock? They said get her to the ER immediately. Her allergy is so severe she wouldn’t make it there. Its totally disgusting

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