The EpiPen company's latest critic is the guy who makes Botox

Allergan CEO Brent Saunders criticized price gouging in the pharmaceutical industry.
 By 
Emma Hinchliffe
 on 
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Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Mylan, the pharmaceutical company that hiked the price of EpiPens to $300 each, has earned its fair share of critics in recent weeks.

Now joining several members of Congress, Sarah Jessica Parker and angry parents is Brent Saunders, CEO of the pharmaceutical company that makes Botox.

Saunders' company, Allergan, of course makes other drugs besides Botox. But the CEO is still an unlikely critic of price gouging in the pharmaceutical industry.


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In a blog post on his company's website, Saunders didn't directly name Mylan, but said he condemns dramatic price increases in general.

"Lately, there has been a tremendous focus on the cost of medicines and some of it has been very appropriately targeted at those outliers who have taken dramatic price increases – or engaged in what the public thinks of as price gouging, especially on life saving medicines," Saunders wrote.  "I understand the public outcry and add my voice to the condemnation of these behaviors."

Saunders outlined the ways drug companies enter "social contracts" with patients and what their responsibilities are to consumers.

Mylan gained attention in recent weeks when parents and others buying EpiPens during back-to-school season realized their out-of-pocket prices had reached new heights. The pharmaceutical company had systematically raised the price of EpiPens since buying the rights to the product in 2007, and changes in insurance in recent years finally passed more of that cost onto consumers rather than insurance companies.

After weeks of outrage, the company announced it would make a generic version of the EpiPen priced at $300 for a two-pack, versus $600. A true generic wasn't previously available.

The traditional EpiPen remained at the same price.

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Emma Hinchliffe

Emma Hinchliffe is a business reporter at Mashable. Before joining Mashable, she covered business and metro news at the Houston Chronicle.

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