By Henry Ehrlich
While issues of international trade policy often seem remote, a quick read of the fine print on a looming trade war between the United States and China shows that it may become very personal quickly for many food allergy families. The New York Times published an article this weekend about tariffs on a long list of imports that includes many medical items.
According to the Times, “The list includes some products that are in dangerously short supply, like epinephrine, used to treat allergic reactions, and others, like insulin, whose rising prices have driven public outrage in the United States.”
Also germane to the food allergic, “Several major manufacturers, including Pfizer, Merck and the generic-drug makers Mylan and Teva Pharmaceutical declined to comment.” This website has been unrelenting in criticising of the business practices of Mylan, which sells EpiPen with effectively a monopoly dominance of the epinephrine market. Thus our sympathy with this statement by Erin R. Fox, a drug-shortage expert at the University of Utah: “The cynic in me thinks this is another way for companies to say they need to raise their prices.”
Call your Congresspersons and Senators.