FRISCO, Texas -- The EpiPen shortage continues, and it's catching parents off guard weeks before school starts as they refill prescriptions needed for class.
It was a surprise to Megan Brunson, a nurse and a mother of two. Her son Sam, 11, has a nut allergy, and part of his back to school preparation includes packing an EpiPen to bring to class. This week, she called to fill his prescription for a generic pen to send to his new classroom at Frisco’s Maus Middle School.
"They informed me that they were out of stock," she said, of her pharmacy. "I started calling and calling and calling, and it didn’t matter who I called, Walgreens, CVS, Tom Thumb, Albertsons, nobody had it."
Brunson did find a brand-name one, that came with sticker shock. "My insurance does not cover the brand, and that is a $700 commitment for me and my family to make," she said.
It was news to her and a lot of us that the Epi-Pen shortage first reported in early May continues. It’s even stretched to Canada. The FDA places blame on a manufacturer delay. The drug’s maker, Pfizer, tells WFAA in a statement:
"We understand how important this potentially life-saving product is to patients, and are working tirelessly to increase production and expedite shipments as rapidly as possible. Currently, supplies may vary from pharmacy to pharmacy, and we are working closely with Mylan to meet their global supply needs during this tight supply situation."
Mylan, a subsidiary of Pfizer, sells the drug in the US, and its demand will likely only grow. That's because Brunson has realized what many parents probably haven’t yet. The epi-pen covered by insurance that your kids need before school starts may not come easy or cheap. "Be on the hunt," said Brunson. "It’s going to take some time."
The company Mylan is using its Customer Relations Hotline to help people who are searching for Epi-pen and its generic. That number is 800-796-9526. A warning, the option they find may not be an affordable one depending on your insurance coverage.