HELENA – People who suffer from life-threatening allergies who need to fill their prescriptions for EpiPens continue facing a national shortage that started back in May.
It’s a problem that’s impacting Montana communities, as well. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website, the shortage was reported in early May, caused by manufacturing delays.
Since then, pharmacies have been unable to get EpiPens in stock, meaning patients cannot fill their prescriptions. St. Peter’s Health pharmacist Brian Heeney says it’s been a problem for some time.
“I would argue the shortage started before May,” says Heeney. “It’s an intermittent shortage. One day we can get EpiPens, the next we can’t get EpiPens. The next day, I can get Adrenal-clicks, which is a competitive product to it, or generic, and the next day I can’t get it. It’s an intermittent from both suppliers.”
Heeney says they just received several generic versions of EpiPen into their pharmacy, so you may find those in your pharmacy, as well.
And for those who are comfortable giving injections, he says you always have the option of drawing up your own epinephrine without an auto-injector.
-Melissa Jensen reporting for MTN News
