EpiPen shortage could leave local students unprotected

Two years after EpiPen maker Mylan hiked the price of the live-saving device by more than 500%, the company is coming under scrutiny again. This time it’s because of a lack of supply that is sending thousands of kids back to school possibly unprotected.

There are almost 70,0000 kids enrolled in public school in the Coachella Valley and, according to the numbers provided by each district, hundreds of those children have life-threatening allergies. One La Quinta family said they have been waiting for months to get the supply their 8-year-old daughter needs.

“In June I started contacting the pharmacist and asking them, ‘Okay, are they in stock?’ He said they weren’t at the time, but they were hoping to get them back soon,” said Johanna Klein, whose child suffers from nut and dairy allergies. “It took him about a month for us to get just two sets of EpiPens.”

Klein said the family was relieved to have something to start the school year with, but that they still need several more.

The nationwide EpiPen shortage started in May when Mylan announced it could not meet the high demand. The delays stretched into the summer and is now worsening with kids going back to school.

“We’ve been seeing shortages off and on for that last couple of months and it’s pretty severe right now,” said Gregg Collins, owner of Cornerstone Pharmacy in Palm Desert. “Unfortunately, everybody is looking for them right now so it’s first come, first serve.”

Collins said he had some in stock a few weeks ago, but they sold out quickly. He said parents should be persistent in their search. KESQ News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2 reporter Katie Widner called several Valley pharmacies on Monday and most had two or less in stock.

In a statement online, Mylan said they are working to stabilize their supply. Last week, the Food and Drug Administration approved the first generic EpiPen, but there is no timetable on when it will be released.

Both the Palm Springs and Desert Sands Unified School Districts said they have a back-up supply for their students. None-the-less, parents are concerned about the shortage because the pens need to be placed near their child on campus. The Klein family said they need six, two packs of EpiPens to be safely stocked.