UPDATE: Mylan launching generic version of EpiPen

its allergy drug — the epipen. in response — the maker says it is now releasing a new generic alternative — as a cheaper choice. 47 a-b-c’s lili zheng joins us live in the studio tonight. lili — you’ve spoken to a local pharmacist about these costs. will this make a big difference for consumers and patients? well, emily — a generic version will be selling for half the cost of the original epipen. and we’re told — medically speaking — there’s no difference between the two. but — according to one local pharmacist — the price is still pretty hefty. and — not justified. 05:44:44 it is a step in the right direction, but i think there’s a long way to go as far as the price of this life saving medicine 50 track 1 buddy richardson — a registered pharmacist at the milford street pharmacy — is talking about the generic version of the epipen expected to be released by mylan. the company announced monday — plans of a cheaper alternative for the emergency allergy shot — amidst national outrage. this — after prices for a two-pack sky-rocketed to about six-hundred dollars. a generic pack — would cost about three-hundred. in a statement on their website — mylan c-e-o heather bresch says they understand the frustration and concerns of patients. bresch says in part quote — “generic drugs have a long, proven track record of delivering significant savings to both patients and the overall healthcare system. the launch of a generic epipen, which follows the steps we took last week on the brand to immediately reduce patients’ out-of-pocket costs, will offer a long-term solution to further reduce costs and ease the burden and complexity of the process on the patient.” track 2 however — richardson argues it’s still too much to pay. he tells 47 a-b-c — a generic pack available now costs around 400. but more he says a more appropriate price? less than one-hundred dollars per pack — a price tag consumers haven’t seen since the year 2007. 05:43:21 the actual active ingredients don’t really cost that much. the pen device is a nice design and it’s very good in an emergency, but i don’t know that it’s worth the exceptional price 31 the generic version — is expected to be available in the coming weeks. mylan says — they do plan to continue marketing and distributing the branded epi-pen. emily — alright — thank you, lili. 47 a-b-c’s lili zheng reporting live in studio with us tonight. with a growing concern for lyme disease in