Pfizer and two of its subsidiaries agree to pay $345 million settlement over EpiPen price hikes Updated: 5:20 PM EDT Jul 15, 2021 Associated Press Share Updated: 5:20 PM EDT Jul 15, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript REPORTER: SEVEN-YEAR-OLD AIDEN SEGOOL LOOKS JUST LIKE ANY OTHER KID ABOUT TO START SCHOOL. BUT WHAT YOU CAN’T SEE IS THAT AIDEN HAS A LIFE-THREATENING ALLERGY TO DAIRY AND EGGS. >> EVERYONE GETS TO EAT AROUND ME, BUT I CAN’T. REPORTER: IT IS SOMETHING HIS PARENTS DISCOVERED THE FIRST TIME HE TRIED YOGURT AS A BABY. >> ALL OF A SUDDEN, SOMETHING DIDN’T SEEM RIGHT. I GOT NERVOUS, I TOOK HIS SHIRT OFF AND HE WAS COVERED IN HIVES. REPORTER: MOM ALYSON WAS PRESCRIBED AN EPINEPHRINE AUTO-INJECTOR, THEN TRAINED HOW TO USE IT. AND SHE LEARNED TO ASK THE PHARMACY ABOUT ITS EXPIRATION DATE. >> THEY’RE GRABBING ONE OFF THE SHELF THAT’S EXPIRING IN 4 MONTHS. NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE TO GO BACK IN 4 MONTHS BUT YOU’VE SPENT THE MONEY FOR SOMETHING THAT’S NOT EVEN LASTING YOU THE YEAR. REPORTER: EXPIRATION DATES VARY BY BRAND BUT MOST EXPIRE AFTER A YEAR TO 18-MONTHS. HOWEVER, A RECENT STUDY IN THE JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY, IN PRACTICE FOUND THE MEDICINE IN THEM WAS POTENT YEARS AFTER THE DATE ON THE PACKAGE. >> BY THE DEFINITION OF THE FDA, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT’S VIABLE, SOMETHING THAT ISN’T YET EXPIRED. REPORTER: DR. MICHAEL PISTINER IS THE DIRECTOR OF FOOD ALLERGY ADVOCACY EDUCATION AND PREVENTION AT MASS GENERAL HOSPITAL. HE SAYS THIS STUDY ADDS TO A GROWING BODY OF RESEARCH WITH SIMILAR FINDINGS. OF THE 46 AUTO-INJECTORS TESTED, THE ONES THAT WERE 6-MONTHS -- SIX MONTHS EXPIRED HAD 100% OF THE CONCENTRATION OF EPINEPHRINE. THOSE EXPIRED A YEAR HAD A 95% CONCENTRATION. EVEN THE DEVICES 30 MONTHS EXPIRED WERE STILL 90% EFFECTIVE. >> IT’S REALLY REASSURING TO KNOW THAT EVEN EXPIRED AUTO INJECTORS ARE OFTEN TIMES GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE SO HAVING THOSE IS BETTER THAN NOTHING. REPORTER: AN IMPORTANT POINT WHEN EPI-PENS CAN BE COSTLY AND IN SHORT SUPPLY. AND BASED ON THESE STUDIES, DR. PISTINER THINKS EXTENDING EXPIRATION DATES SHOULD BE UP FOR DISCUSSION. >> IF THERE’S LESS PEOPLE NEEDING TO GO TO THE PHARMACIES TO PICK UP REFILLS, THEN THERE WILL BE MORE AVAILABLE AUTO INJECTORS FOR THOSE WHO NEED BECAUSE OF APPROPRIATE EXPIRATION DATES. REPORTER: AIDEN’S SCHOOL REQUIRES AN UP-TO-DATE EPIPEN. AND ALYSON USUALLY GETS NEW ONES ONCE THEY’VE EXPIRED. THOUGH THEY’VE HAD TO USE THEM TWICE OVER THE YEARS, TODAY AIDEN KNOWS WHAT HE CAN EAT. THINGS LIKE HIS FAVORITE DAIRY-FREE PIZZA AND COOKIES. AND SOMETIMES, HE’S NOT THAT UPSET ABOUT THE THINGS HE CANT -- CAN’T HAVE. >> SOMETIMES IT’S GROSS. REPORTER: SOMETIMES IT’S GROSS? >> SOMETIMES IT JUST LOOKS GROW SO I’M HAPPY I’M ALLERGIC TO IT. REPORTER: THE EXPIRATION ISSUE IS PART OF A LARGER ISSUE. DR. PESTERS AS A BOTTOM LINE IS FAMILIES HAVE AN AUTOINJECTOR THEY ARE TRAINED ON AND COMFORTABLE USING, AND TALKING WITH YOUR DOCTOR IF YOU ARE HAVING ISSUES IS REALLY THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION. EM