MANCEHSTER BY THE SEA, Mass. — Allison Spies is no stranger to anaphylactic reactions; her husband and two young children all have severe food allergies, 6-year-old Cash is allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, egg and dairy, and 3-year-old Colette has all of those including corn, coconut, and wheat.
“It’s terrifying to watch your child die before your eyes. We found out she was anaphylactic to wheat when she took a little bite of a Twizzler after Halloween. She started gasping for air not being able to breathe, projectile vomiting and hives," Spies said.
Spies strictly manages her kids diets and carries EpiPens, everywhere.
“We have them all over. And because both of my kids need them, we need to have three sets for each child so, school has to have one and it has to be 'in date' you can’t bring school an expired EpiPen, and then we need one in the home for each of them and then we need one in our to-go bag -for each of them," she said.
But with the recent insurance price hikes from Mylan, the manufacturer of EpiPen, Allison's $0 co-pay, spiked to $600.
She began to wonder about the pile of expired EpiPens she thankfully never had to use, but was required to purchase.
Spies showed FOX25 some of her expired pens.
“This one expired Aug. 25, 2015, and the solution is perfectly clear so can this still be good for years past its expiration date?”
The instructions on the side of the EpiPens say "replace if solution is discolored" yet none in her bag had turned color. Not even one that expired in 2012.
According to Mylan's website discoloration changes "indicate that the effectiveness of the drug product may have decreased or been affected."
FOX25 contacted dozens of labs and hospitals in the area to test the expired EpiPens for their effectiveness, all of them declined.
Dr. John Lee is the clinical director of the food allergy program at Boston Children's Hospital and said just because it's expired, doesn't mean an EpiPen is trash.
“That’s a common misbelief. While you shouldn't use a discolored EpiPen, an expired injection may be better than nothing," he said "Actually, most EpiPens that are expired won't have that discoloration. And so you should really just rely upon the expiration date."
FOX25 found a recent Consumer Reports study that tested 35-injectors two years past their expiration date.
It found a 90-percent or more retention in the epinephrine dose listed on the label, for all of them.
“It's probably going to be at least partially effective. They can go ahead and use it but they should always call 911 and go to the hospital afterwards," Lee said.
Allison says when it comes to saving the life of her kids, the choice is clear “If that’s all you have it is much better than nothing.”
Mylan, the manufacturers of the EpiPen sent the following statement to FOX25:
“Like any medication, the EpiPen ® Auto-Injector has an expiration date. U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturers are required by law to place expiration dates on prescription products prior to marketing; therefore, all epinephrine products have expiration dating whether they come in an auto-injector, vial or ampule. An expiration date is the day, based on testing, that a product is expected to be safe and effective when stored under the conditions provided in the FDA-approved package insert. Beyond the expiration date, the product may not remain safe and effective for use therefore, care should be taken to refill the prescription before this date. Mylan also continues to invest in product improvements, such as a formulation with a longer shelf life that would extend the period between refills.”
Cox Media Group
