California Governor Approves EpiPen Bill, Condemns Price Surge

California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) signed into law a bill that would allow companies, nonprofits and government agencies to purchase and maintain Mylan’s EpiPen for emergency use, while criticizing the company for the hiking the price of the allergy treatment.

In a letter to the California State Assembly, Brown said he backed the legislation because the treatment can save lives, but he did so with a “strong objection” to the price increases of the EpiPen, which in less than a decade rose by about 400 percent to $608 for a two-pack of auto-injectors.

Brown noted that Mylan raised prices while the company sponsored state legislation promoting the product’s use. He added that the salary of Mylan CEO Heather Bresch climbed to $19 million as the price of the EpiPen rose.