A dramatic price increase for one form of an opioid overdose reversal drug has some people concerned, but Washington health and law enforcement agencies said it’s not affecting their ability to provide care.
Last week, Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell joined 30 Democratic colleagues to sign a letter demanding answers from Kaleo Pharmaceuticals, which manufacturers an auto-injector form of naloxone. Naloxone is a generic drug that reverses opioid overdoses.
The drug has risen from $690 in 2014 to $4,500 this year, according to the letter. The drug manufacturer has disputed that price.
The letter prompted widespread coverage of the price boost in USA Today, Scientific American, Wired and other sources, with many articles comparing it to the well-publicized price hike of the Epi-Pen last year.