GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Back in May, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration added EpiPens to their list of drug shortages — indicating it is available but facing "intermittent supply constraints" due to manufacturing delays.
Mike Koezler, who owns Kay Pharmacy in Grand Rapids, told 24 Hour News 8 he's seen shortages long before now.
"One of the problems is there's only one manufacturer that really makes the name brand EpiPen," Koezler explained via video Friday.
That manufacturer is Mylan — a pharmaceutical company that was criticized by lawmakers for consistently raising the price of EpiPens before eventually making a cheaper version.
"They can raise the prices pretty much indiscriminately and the supply... it's really all up to them," Koezler said.
Friday, 24 Hour News 8 checked with three locally-owned pharmacies and one national chain in Grand Rapids and found good news: all of them had at least some EpiPens or an alternative drug in stock.