Generic EpiPen costs the same as regular EpiPen

Three months ago, when the FDA approved a generic version of the life-saving EpiPen, it promised the new product would offer a “lower-cost option.” As it turns out, that’s not the case.

As STAT’s Ed Silverman points out, the new autoinjector, made by Teva Pharmaceuticals, will carry a list price of $300, which is identical to the cost of the so-called authorized generic marketed by Mylan.

It’s important to note that those are just list prices, and the costs most people pay reflect discounts and rebates that vary by insurer. But the matching prices illustrate an important point in the modern pharmaceutical market: The FDA has no control over how much products cost, and there’s no guarantee that competition will save money for patients.

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