# Heather Bresch, kindly go fuck yourself with an epi-pen **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 25, 2016, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heather-bresch-kindly-go-fuck-yourself-with-an-epi-pen/763887 "2016-08-25T07:44:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heather-bresch-kindly-go-fuck-yourself-with-an-epi-pen/763887/21 "2016-08-25T15:04:42Z")
The truly weird thing is that 99.9% of epi-pens are discarded without ever being used. They’re a rescue device only, and careful (and lucky) allergy sufferers can go through their entire lives without ever using one. Plus they have to be replaced annually. I’ve thrown away at least 50 of them over the past 9 years. > [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > That’s undoubtedly just a co-pay. Your insurance company is probably out $1000 or more. > > As I understand it, the only competitor was taken off the market for quality control reasons last year, which led to at least one of the price hikes. Auvi-Q. They had a really neat device that talked to you and walked you through the entire injection process. Plus it was a lot more convenient to carry - instead of being a fat, long cigar, it was more like a thin pack of cards. They had to recall because of instances where not enough medication was injected. They really took a bath on it - for every one returned, they reimbursed your out of pocket costs for buying a replacement epi-pen. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heather-bresch-kindly-go-fuck-yourself-with-an-epi-pen/763887/22 "2016-08-25T15:12:19Z")
> [@Algher](#): > > There is an alternative. Epipen is based on the device (which has a patent), not the medicine. So you can use an Adrenaclick, but you need the doctor to specially prescribe it and not the Epipen: > > [http://vitals.lifehacker.com/adrenaclick-is-a-cheaper-alternative-to-the-epipen-1785655358](http://vitals.lifehacker.com/adrenaclick-is-a-cheaper-alternative-to-the-epipen-1785655358) > > I wonder if Hillary will return the $250k donation to the Clinton foundation that came from the EpiPen company? Maybe Senator Joe Manchin (D, West Virginia) can open the hearings. She won’t refuse a summons from her daddy will she? > > In the meantime, alternative injection devices should get a fast-track review from the FDA - and we can see the EpiPen market share collapse. She’ll return it at the same time she’ll return Trump’s donation. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heather-bresch-kindly-go-fuck-yourself-with-an-epi-pen/763887/23 "2016-08-25T15:16:11Z")
And, of course, the problem with fast-tracking alternatives is that there is a huge ramp-up cost, which has to be invested knowing that Mylan can slash the cost of the original and still own the market. No one can come out with a cheaper version because Mylan’s is already at rock-bottom cost (of manufacture). It’s an old, old, old marketplace game. ---
**Author:** ![Kyrie\_Eleison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kyrie_eleison/32/7682_2.png) [@Kyrie\_Eleison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyrie_Eleison)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heather-bresch-kindly-go-fuck-yourself-with-an-epi-pen/763887/24 "2016-08-25T15:30:18Z")
Can someone summarize Mylan’s response to criticism over the price hike for me? I’ve seen it reported several times, and it just doesn’t make sense to me. They’ve been blaming the price hike on an increase in the number of people making use of high-deductible insurance policies, but it is beyond me how users of high-deductible insurance policies have forced them to raise the price. The only way it makes sense to me is if they’re trying to say that not enough people to raise a fuss would be complaining about their gouging if enough people were on low-deductible policies so that they could extract their money unnoticed from insurance companies rather than taking it from the vocal and more sympathy-inducing uninsured and poorly insured. That can’t really be what they’re offering in defense, can it? ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heather-bresch-kindly-go-fuck-yourself-with-an-epi-pen/763887/25 "2016-08-25T16:41:12Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > The truly weird thing is that 99.9% of epi-pens are discarded without ever being used. They’re a rescue device only, and careful (and lucky) allergy sufferers can go through their entire lives without ever using one. Plus they have to be replaced annually. I’ve thrown away at least 50 of them over the past 9 years. Wouldn’t this cost hit ambulance companies and city\county paramedic services pretty hard? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heather-bresch-kindly-go-fuck-yourself-with-an-epi-pen/763887/26 "2016-08-25T16:46:29Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > Wouldn’t this cost hit ambulance companies and city\county paramedic services pretty hard? Don’t they just use an ampule/bottle of epinephrine and a seven cent syringe/needle? ---
**Author:** ![aliensshow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@aliensshow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aliensshow)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heather-bresch-kindly-go-fuck-yourself-with-an-epi-pen/763887/27 "2016-08-25T16:49:45Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > So the CEO of the pharmaceutical company Mylan, Heather Bresch, has decided to up the price of an epi-pen (injector pen containing epinephrine for severe allergic reactions, say to bee stings) from roughly $100 all the way up to the $600 neighborhood, without changing the formula or the injectors. An epi-pen (and, for kids, the epi-pen junior) contains somewhere around $1 of actual medicine. > > Let’s look at Heather Bresch, shall we? > > She received her M.B.A. from West Virginia University. Retroactively, even though she hadn’t earned the credits for the degree (to the tune of being 22 credits short). But her father was governor of the state when it happened. This was such an egregious offense that the president of the university, Mike Garrison (a schoolmate and former lobbyist for her) was forced to resign afterwards. > > She started out in data entry. Worked her way up to CEO in 2007. > > Compared to when she took over that position, her personal salary has increased 700%. She recently reported an earning of $19million. > > There’s some behind the scenes shit, too, like reincorporating in Europe to avoid a “hostile takeover” and benefit from lax tax laws. > > Bottom line: more people are going to die because this rich cunt decided that her lifestyle is just a little more important than whether or not children die from allergies that could have been treated before. > > I’m glad that Hillary Clinton has called for her to drop the price. And it looks like there may be a Senate inquiry into it. > > Story here: [Here's what you need to know about the CEO behind the big EpiPen price hikes](http://finance.yahoo.com/news/heres-know-ceo-behind-big-201400242.html) It’s always so hilarious when “liberals” launch into sexist attacks against the women they hate. Thanks for continuing to undermine yourself, misogynist 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heather-bresch-kindly-go-fuck-yourself-with-an-epi-pen/763887/28 "2016-08-25T16:50:35Z")
The “free market” involves transactions between sellers who don’t have to sell and buyers that don’t have to buy. With medical costs, it is often literally a matter of “your money or your life”, which means that they have as much in common with the “free market” as your average mugging. ---
**Author:** ![aliensshow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@aliensshow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aliensshow)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heather-bresch-kindly-go-fuck-yourself-with-an-epi-pen/763887/29 "2016-08-25T16:51:57Z")
> [@steatopygia](#): > > CEOs like this are what is not great about America. > > I HATE that the CEO of a company makes millions of dollars because of, lets face it, family connections. Thankfully, CEOs (or anyone else) aren’t required to get your approval for their salaries. How unfortunate for you. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heather-bresch-kindly-go-fuck-yourself-with-an-epi-pen/763887/30 "2016-08-25T16:53:04Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > Wouldn’t this cost hit ambulance companies and city\county paramedic services pretty hard? > [@kayaker](#): > > Don’t they just use an ampule/bottle of epinephrine and a seven cent syringe/needle? I’d assume so. The thing that makes an epipen useful is the self injecting feature - if you know how to measure & inject a drug, you don’t need an epipen. ---
**Author:** ![aliensshow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@aliensshow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aliensshow)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heather-bresch-kindly-go-fuck-yourself-with-an-epi-pen/763887/31 "2016-08-25T16:53:11Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > That bitch has the ovaries to blame Obamacare? Why, because it doesn’t involve telling them “this price is unacceptable”? It sure isn’t because it’s raised the costs of making Epipens. ROFL, the war on women, folks 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heather-bresch-kindly-go-fuck-yourself-with-an-epi-pen/763887/32 "2016-08-25T16:54:59Z")
> [@aliensshow](#): > > It’s always so hilarious when “liberals” launch into sexist attacks against the women they hate. Thanks for continuing to undermine yourself, misogynist 🙂 It’s hilarious when you chime in, thinking you have a point. There was absolutely nothing sexist in that. She is being ripped for her actions and apparent lack of a soul. The screed would have looked the same if the name had been Heathcliffe Bresch. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heather-bresch-kindly-go-fuck-yourself-with-an-epi-pen/763887/33 "2016-08-25T17:05:26Z")
> [@aliensshow](#): > > ROFL, the war on women, folks 😉 Shut up, Little Tard. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heather-bresch-kindly-go-fuck-yourself-with-an-epi-pen/763887/34 "2016-08-25T17:17:37Z")
> [@aliensshow](#): > > It’s always so hilarious when “liberals” launch into sexist attacks against the women they hate. Thanks for continuing to undermine yourself, misogynist 🙂 Ooh, the “c-word” was used! Clutch those pearls! Calling this creature a “cunt” is an insult to a useful part of the female anatomy. I’m not seeing any misogyny. Bresch would otherwise be a prick. (But then you’d yell “misandry”?) ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heather-bresch-kindly-go-fuck-yourself-with-an-epi-pen/763887/35 "2016-08-25T17:18:51Z")
> [@aliensshow](#): > > It’s always so hilarious when “liberals” launch into sexist attacks against the women they hate. Thanks for continuing to undermine yourself, misogynist 🙂 I’m bored, and could do with a laugh. How about you opine on which piece of the post you quoted you saw as misogyny. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heather-bresch-kindly-go-fuck-yourself-with-an-epi-pen/763887/36 "2016-08-25T17:24:39Z")
Hey, can we keep this thread on target about the asshole (we’ve all got one of those, right?) CEO, instead of feeding the troll? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heather-bresch-kindly-go-fuck-yourself-with-an-epi-pen/763887/37 "2016-08-25T17:55:54Z")
We can multitask. [Damage control.](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/epipen-price-reduction-clinton-criticism_us_57bee46de4b02673444e8a32?section=&) **aliensshow** - Go back to third grade. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heather-bresch-kindly-go-fuck-yourself-with-an-epi-pen/763887/38 "2016-08-25T18:15:22Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > The “free market” involves transactions between sellers who don’t have to sell and buyers that don’t have to buy. I wouldn’t argue, but I don’t recall ever hearing this caveat from proponents. It may have been drowned out by the drone of mass handwaving. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heather-bresch-kindly-go-fuck-yourself-with-an-epi-pen/763887/39 "2016-08-25T18:23:16Z")
> [@aliensshow](#): > > ROFL, the war on women, folks 😉 Ah, the fucking troll is back from under its bridge. Do you have a rejection fetish, or are you just an everyday douche bag? ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2016, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heather-bresch-kindly-go-fuck-yourself-with-an-epi-pen/763887/40 "2016-08-25T18:25:26Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > The truly weird thing is that 99.9% of epi-pens are discarded without ever being used. They’re a rescue device only, and careful (and lucky) allergy sufferers can go through their entire lives without ever using one. Plus they have to be replaced annually. I’ve thrown away at least 50 of them over the past 9 years. I squirt my kid’s old ones into my coffee. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heather-bresch-kindly-go-fuck-yourself-with-an-epi-pen/763887.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/heather-bresch-kindly-go-fuck-yourself-with-an-epi-pen/763887.md?page=3)