Shaheen, Hassan Demand Answers about Outrageous Price Hike for Lifesaving Overdose Prevention Drug

Statement

U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) joined a group of thirty-one Senators demanding answers from a leading pharmaceutical company about the dramatic price hike for a life-saving medication used to respond to opioid overdoses. Recent reports revealed that drug maker Kaléo Pharmaceuticals, which manufactures an easy-to-use injector device containing the overdose-reversing drug naloxone, raised its price from $690 in 2014, to $4,500 currently. While the Evzio device has the potential to help thousands of individuals survive drug overdoses, the Senators wrote that the inexplicable price hike "threatens to price-out families and communities that depend on naloxone to save lives."

"This drug company is blatantly price gouging individuals and families who have loved ones with a substance misuse disorder," said Senator Shaheen. "As we saw with the drastic price hike on EpiPens, some drug companies are following a very dangerous trend that is a direct threat to the health and wellbeing of America's middle class. Granite Staters deserve an answer from Kaléo Pharmaceuticals on why they have dramatically increased the cost of this important drug that saves lives by delivering overdose prevention medication."

"We must do everything that we can to ensure that life-saving emergency treatments -- whether it be an EpiPen or the overdose-reversing drug Naloxone -- are available to Americans in times of need," said Senator Maggie Hassan. "I will continue to demand answers from Kaléo Pharmaceuticals regarding their deeply troubling price hike for this injector device that delivers life-saving medication to those suffering from an overdose, and I will work with members of both parties to prevent price gouging by pharmaceutical companies that threatens the health of our citizens."

In letter sent Wednesday to Kaléo Pharmaceuticals CEO Spencer Williamson, the Senators wrote, "At a time when Congress has worked to expand access to naloxone products and to assist state and local communities to equip first responders with this life-saving drug, this startling price hike is very concerning."

The bipartisan Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), which was signed into law last year, includes a provision to help rural communities obtain the overdose-reversing drug Naloxone. Rural locations have the highest death rates in the country from opioid poisoning, and Naloxone has the potential to save more lives in these areas.

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