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August 24, 2016

The Honorable Eliot Engel, Co-Chair
The Honorable Gregg Harper, Co-Chair
Congressional Allergy and Asthma Caucus
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Representatives Engel and Harper and Members of the Congressional Allergy and Asthma
Caucus,
On behalf of Allergy & Asthma Network, a nonprofit patient education and advocacy organization
dedicated to ending needless death and suffering from asthma, allergies and related conditions, I write
with respect to the recent news about the rising cost of the epinephrine auto-injectors.
Anaphylaxis is a severe systemic allergic reaction that is rapid in onset and can cause death. More than
15 million Americans have food allergies that can cause anaphylaxis, and children and adolescents are
among those most at risk; anaphylaxis can also be caused by allergies to biting or stinging insects, latex
and certain medications. The first line of treatment for anaphylaxis is epinephrine, according to the
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).
We are concerned about the impact of the rising cost of epinephrine auto-injectors on patients and their
families and are committed to finding ways to reduce the financial burden. Here’s how:
1. Work directly with Mylan, manufacturer of EpiPen epinephrine auto-injectors. We have asked
Mylan to assist patients and families with large out-of-pocket expenses and high-deductible health plans
by developing a new savings program or reduced pricing strategy.
2. Work directly with government and commercial insurance providers to get epinephrine on
preventive drug lists. This would ensure epinephrine is no longer subject to deductibles or copays and
reduce the cost burden for families.
3. Work directly with patients and families to navigate the complex healthcare system, how to choose
a health insurance plan while fully understanding what is and is not covered and potential out-of-pocket
expenses due to high-deductible health plans, and how to take advantage of savings programs such as
the My EpiPen Savings Card. We also encourage patients and families to lend their voice for public
policy and greater transparency in pharmaceutical pricing.

 Allergy & Asthma Network appreciates your continued support of the Caucus. We look forward to
further engaging with you as a partner to raise awareness about allergies and asthma and to support the
development of policies that lead to a healthy quality of life for patients and families.
Sincerely,

Tonya A. Winders
President and CEO