+

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

Business Insider India has updated its Privacy and Cookie policy. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the better experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we\'ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Insider India website. However, you can change your cookie setting at any time by clicking on our Cookie Policy at any time. You can also see our Privacy Policy.

Close
HomeQuizzoneWhatsappShare Flash Reads
 

The strange history of the EpiPen, the device developed by the military that turned into a billion-dollar business

Aug 28, 2016, 00:31 IST

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

The EpiPen is the latest drug facing drug-pricing pressure.

Advertisement

But it wasn't always this way.

The injectable delivers a dose of epinephrine, otherwise known as adrenaline, to treat extreme allergic reactions. It's been around for more than a century. And the pen that delivers the medication has been around since the 1970s, when it was first developed for the military.

Since 2007, the price for a two-pack has gone up from $93.88 to $608.61, an increase of more than 500%.

Here's the story of how a device that's now a household name became one of the most controversial drugs of 2016.

Advertisement

Next Article