Burbank Unified weighs in on EpiPen cost hike

Burbank school officials on Thursday voted to support a federal investigation into the steep price increase of a life-saving drug they keep at each of Burbank Unified’s roughly 20 schools.

The Burbank School Board voted 5-0 to send a letter to Congress backing an investigation into the price hike of EpiPens, which Burbank Supt. Matt Hill described as an “outrage.”

“The fight is not done, so I really appreciate the board continuing that fight and arming our legislators to make a legislative change so we won’t have corporations take advantage of our students and families,” Hill said.

Mylan, the pharmaceutical company that has come under fire, acquired EpiPen in 2007. Since then, the drug’s price has steadily increased to about $600 per two-pack, according to school officials.

Schools are required to maintain emergency epinephrine under state education code, and in Burbank, officials keep two EpiPens in each school at all times.

The auto-injector delivers epinephrine through the thigh to those suffering from emergency cases of potentially fatal anaphylaxis with symptoms that include shock, hives or throat swelling due to one’s allergy to food, an insect sting or drug.

Board member Steve Ferguson summarized the price increase of EpiPens as “just absolute abuse,” adding that in addition to schools maintaining the drug, many families must keep them in their homes.

“I think it’s important that we equip our federal leaders with letters of action from local leadership so that they can lead the charge,” Ferguson said.

Local parent Amy Kamm, president of the Burbank Council PTA, applauded board members for backing an investigation.

“Some may know that my daughter has a life-threatening allergy to milk,” she told school board members following their vote. “And so, this is a very personal thing for me, but your public support to urge the government to take a stand on this is incredibly important.”

One day after the local school board meeting, Gov. Jerry Brown penned his own letter to senate and congressional leaders in which he commended a hearing the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is scheduled to hold with Mylan executives next week.

“It is difficult to imagine how they can justify the 500% increase in the price of EpiPens, the 600% increase in executive pay and the tax move of their corporate offices to the Netherlands,” he wrote about the pharmaceutical company.

“As important as this hearing is, hearings alone will not transform this powerful company and the industry of which it is a part. What is needed is swift and strong Congressional action because states have no jurisdiction to curb these wanton price increases,” Brown added.

--

Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com

Twitter: @kellymcorrigan