William Keating
WASHINGTON D.C. – Congressman Bill Keating has demanded answers from a pharmaceutical company for the dramatic increase of its naloxone injector device.
Kaleo Pharma’s Evzio has increased from $690 to $4,500 over the last three years.
The device delivers naloxone, which counters opioid related overdoses.
Keating sent a letter to the company last week calling on them to work with Congress to help combat the opioid epidemic.
“During my time in Congress, I have worked to provide grants for addiction treatment and recovery programs; designed education requirements for opioid prescribers; and introduced the Co-Prescribing Saves Lives Act, legislation that would, among other things, provide taxpayer-supported assistance towards the purchase of naloxone,” the letter stated.
“To that end, I expect drug companies like Kaleo to work in parallel to help us maximize the value of federal dollars spent on combatting the opioid epidemic.”
The top five counties with the highest per capita rates of opioid-related overdose deaths are Barnstable, Plymouth, Dukes, Essex and Bristol. All but Essex County are in the Ninth Congressional District, which is represented in Congress by Keating.
The average number of overdose deaths per capita in Barnsatble and Plymouth Counties are almost double the state average.
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