Introduction – The EpiPen Crisis
Saren S -
Hello everyone! My name is Saren, and my research focuses on the affordability of EpiPens and how it impacts individuals who rely on them. As someone with a personal connection to severe allergies, I’ve seen firsthand how the high cost of life-saving medication creates stress and anxiety for families. EpiPens aren’t just a convenience—they’re an absolute necessity for people with severe allergies, yet their price has skyrocketed over the years, making them inaccessible for many. This raises important questions about pharmaceutical pricing, healthcare equity, and what can be done to ensure that everyone who needs an EpiPen can afford one.
My research examines how different factors—such as high costs, insurance limitations, and the unpredictability of allergic reactions—contribute to heightened stress levels. Many families face financial strain trying to afford multiple EpiPens for school, home, and travel, while others struggle with the mental toll of constantly being on high alert. I’m analyzing existing literature on medical-related stress, gathering personal accounts, and looking at how different demographics are affected based on socioeconomic status, insurance coverage, and access to healthcare resources. My site placement is an allergy clinic where I will be administering surveys and learning more about immunology and allergy medicine through shadowing.
My goal is to highlight the stress that comes from financing life-saving medications like EpiPens and to show how this burden isn’t just personal but systemic, driven by monopolies in healthcare that prioritize profit over accessibility. By examining how inflated prices and limited market competition exacerbate financial and emotional strain, I hope to shed light on the broader issue of corporate control in medicine and advocate for more affordable, ethical healthcare solutions.
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