Posted by Michael Wonder on 10 Feb 2017
U.S. Senators question Kaleo's $4,500 tag on opioid overdose treatment
9 February 2017 - U.S. Democrat Senator Claire McCaskill on Thursday asked Kaleo Pharmaceuticals to justify the more than 550% surge in the price of its device to treat pain killer overdoses, becoming the second senator to question Evzio's $4,500 price tag.
Evzio contains the overdose-reversing drug naloxone and can be used in emergencies by people without medical training. Privately held Kaleo has raised the price of a twin-pack to $4,500, from $690 in 2014, according to a Kaiser Health News report.
The concerns over Evzio's price comes at a time when pharmaceutical companies are facing intense scrutiny over "price-gouging", and as lawmakers struggle with the epidemic of opioid abuse.
