Disgusted by soaring prices, Maine doctor devises an alternative to the EpiPen

Dr. Cathleen London runs a family practice in Washington County, where nearly 20 percent of residents lack health insurance, the highest uninsured rate in the state. So when the price for a life-saving allergy medication skyrocketed last summer, she knew there was no way her patients who rely on the drug could afford it.

The Epipen, an injectable dose of epinephrine, was ringing up at more than $600 for a pack of two. That’s much too steep for many a Down East fisherman — or many of us, for that matter — to afford.

People with dangerous reactions to bees, peanuts and other allergens rely on Epipens to keep breathing long enough to get to a hospital. The medication works in an emergency by temporarily thwarting the severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis.

London was disgusted that Mylan, the drug’s maker, was driving up prices. But she refused to let her patients go without.

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