Mylan, the pharmaceutical company behind EpiPen Auto-Injectors, substantially raised the price to $600 for a pack of two in August, endangering children and adults at risk of life-threatening allergic reactions who cannot afford the outrageous cost.

Despite Mylan’s acquisition of EpiPen marketing and distribution in 2007, their 15% increase intervals each year in EpiPen prices misrepresents the purpose of their product: saving lives.

Saving lives should not come at a ridiculous cost, especially for such a seemingly simple service. EpiPens help delay the spread of the reaction to provide the ambulance time to reach the scene and take the person to proper medical care.

Mylan CEO, Heather Bresch, currently foresees investigation on the intense price hike, however, those who can no longer afford EpiPens still risk serious allergic reactions. EpiPen users around the country even began to speak out about their experiences where the injector saved their life, criticizing its price raise and discussing its unaffordable costs.

“It’s not fair to the people who need it,” senior Imani Bryant said, “The copay is not all that amazing on pretty much any insurance.”

Regardless of the unnecessary stress to people no longer able to carry an EpiPen, the medical community may no longer function due to the rapid deterioration of health in patients who could not use one.

If Mylan stopped worrying about the money, they would understand that their product does not classify as an unnecessary luxury. They deal with people at risk of dying over something they cannot control.

“It puts a lot of people at a disadvantage,” senior Courtney Wadley said, “It really gets to the heart of ‘why are we paying so much extra for things that are necessary for us to live?’”

A business such as Mylan should not focus on a profit increase. Rather, their priority should be making their product affordable enough for customers while still continuing to gain the profit needed to keep the business running. Corporate greed should not stand in the way of a person’s well-being.