Sex and the City star Sarah Jessica Parker has a lot to say, and it’s not about her Manolo Blahniks. The actress, whose son has a life-threatening peanut allergy, has been a spokesperson for Mylan, the pharmaceutical company that manufactures the EpiPen. The small device, which is used to deliver epinephrine to those suffering from severe allergic reactions, has been in the spotlight recently since its price has jumped to over $500, which is nearly a 400% increase since 2007. Countless people, especially children, rely on the EpiPen to save their lives, and the new cost has become too much for many families to afford.
Parker recently announced in an Instagram post that she will be parting ways with the drug company as a result of this recent price hike. It has been reported that the drastic increase in price might be because a generic competitor is about to hit the market. As a result, Mylan is attempting to profit as a much as possible before this happens. As reported by People, Parker wrote:
“I’m left disappointed, saddened and deeply concerned by Mylan’s actions,” the 51-year-old actress wrote in an Instagram post on Thursday. “I do not condone this decision and I have ended my relationship with Mylan as a direct result of it.”
“I hope they will seriously consider the outpouring of voices of those millions of people who are dependent on the device, and take swift action to lower the cost to be more affordable for whom it is a life-saving necessity,” Parker continued.
Here is her full post:
As a result of the public outrage that has blasted across social media and news outlets around the country, Mylan has begun to take steps towards remedying the situation:
In a Thursday statement obtained by PEOPLE, the company said it will eliminate out-of-pocket expenses for uninsured and under-insured patients, cover up to $300 of out-of-pocket costs at pharmacies as well as “open a pathway to provide [EpiPens] directly to patients.”
Join the conversation as a VIP Member