TRENTON – Senator Richard J. Codey today called on New Jersey Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino to review whether Mylan Pharmaceuticals, the maker of EpiPens, has contracts with any school districts in New Jersey that prohibited schools from purchasing from the company’s competitors. New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman yesterday announced that his office has launched an antitrust investigation into Mylan Pharmaceuticals after a preliminary review revealed the company may have inserted potentially anticompetitive terms into its EpiPens sales contracts with schools:
“The reports related to Mylan Pharmaceuticals continue to get more concerning by the day. First, we learn that the company has dramatically and inexplicably hiked the cost of its medication over the last decade, potentially putting the life-saving drug out of reach for families. Now there are reports that the company may have worked to prevent schools from purchasing products from its competitors in exchange for participating in its EpiPens school distribution program.
“I am asking the Attorney General to review whether New Jersey school districts have contracts with Mylan under its ‘EpiPen4Schools’ program that include this type of anti-competitive language. If this practice is found to have occurred here, New Jersey should formally join New York’s investigation and explore a joint lawsuit against the company by the two states.
“This is a company that has taken advantage of consumers, and it appears may have improperly acted to prevent competition from other drug makers. It must be held accountable.”