NEWSDEPTH QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Should health companies be allowed to set unlimited prices for the medicine they make? Be sure to tell us why you feel this way.
Milenka, Rock Creek Elementary: My favorite part of your show is when you talk about the EpiPens. I cannot believe that the price for two EpiPens was raised from $100 to $600. That was outrageous. That was not done in the favor of people. Even though a generic EpiPen costs $300, that was still over priced for some. This may cause people to get seriously injured. This is a very bad thing. The company making the EpiPens should have to lower their prices so, that everyone who needs them can afford them.
The company should have to lower their price. They had it already at $100. That means that all they want to do now it so make a profit. That is not right. People need these EpiPens to survive. If they need it and they do not have it, they might get seriously injured. This may cause the company to get sued. So they need to just lower so that does not happen. If they could have it at $100, they can put it back at $100. All they have to do is use the same ingredients as used before they raised the price. That is also how they lower the price back to $100.
Lilly, Chagrin Falls Intermediate: I learned that the people that work for the epi-pens company can choose how they are going to price the thing that they sell. What I wonder about this is why they raised the price by $500. I think that they should be able to price the EpiPens but there should be like a vote or a price limit because $600 is too much and they have to buy it.
Jacob, Olmsted Falls Intermediate: I think the EpiPen should not cost $600, that's just crazy. It saves people's lives. It should cost $100. The people who made it are greedy. The grownups’ bank accounts will be messed up. What if somebody only has $200 and needs it? The people who need it would die because of their allergies. They should shrink it back down to $100.
Olivia, Preston Elementary: I think it is very unfair that medical companies get to change the prices of life saving medications just so they can make profit. I say no, they should not be allowed to do this. Some people need these medications to live, and they could die just because they cannot afford it.
Devin, Ayer Elementary: I voted no on this week's poll because I think that if you have allergies you should be able to access this life saving device no matter rich or poor. My cousin had a life threatening peanut allergy and they were lucky enough to have enough money to stay updated on the newest EpiPen. I know that not all families are lucky enough to be able to stay updated with every EpiPen even if they have a life threatening allergy. Everyone should have access to an EpiPen.
Nicole, Maryland Elementary: I think that medicine companies shouldn't be allowed to set unlimited prices for the medicine they make. They shouldn't sell them for $600. They should just sell them for $100, because not many people can afford $600. Of course, the EpiPen company must make profit from the EpiPens, but they could sell them for about $300, and they would still be able to make a profit. I wonder why the prices of the EpiPens keep rising. Is it because the materials for making the EpiPens are also getting more expensive?
Carson, Ankeney Middle School: No, I do not think health companies should be allowed to set unlimited prices for the medicine they make. If health companies were allowed to set unlimited prices for medicine, we could lose a lot of good people in America because the prices could be so high that the average middle class individual would not always be able to afford the medication they need.
I am really allergic to outside pollen and ragweed. I would not be happy if those were anaphylactic shock allergies because it would not be good if I had an allergic reaction and no epi pen was around. The manufacturer of the EpiPen is only worried about getting money. We, the users of EpiPen, want a good priced but also effective product. They make an EpiPen and it’s effective, but way too overpriced for the users of the epi pen. The reason I am relative to this issue is because the EpiPen saved my Grandma who is apparently allergic to bees. What I do not like is that they are increasing the prices on the EpiPen which means that if you don’t have the money for the EpiPen basically you have to suffer and they don’t care, all they want is the money. Users of the EpiPen should be informed that there is an over the counter version of this medical device that is cheaper.
Michelle, Dodge Intermediate: Health companies should not be allowed to set unlimited prices for the medication they make. I think doctors should give them an EpiPen if they need it at no cost. If someone is ill, they should not put a price on health. If they don’t, the government should tell them to stop.
Julia, St. Edward: I think that medicine companies should not be able to have unlimited prices. They could make them unaffordable to people who need them. I have to have them for my food allergies and you can only get them in prescriptions and it already costs to have an allergy doctor who prescribes medicines, does tests to find out how bad your allergies are, and recommends what to do. The more they raise the prices on medicines the harder it will be for kids who come from poor families to have an allergy doctor and to have medicine they need.