Like there's not enough anxiety just before school starts. Just as classes are about to begin, many parents are said to be having a difficult time finding EpiPens to send with their kids - the shelves seem to be bare.

In fact, earlier this year the Food and Drug Administration updated its drug shortage list to include EpiPens, manufactured by Meridan Medical Technologies, a subsidiary of Pfizer. The generic version of the pen is also said to be in short supply.

It's hard to tell just how many kids in this country carry the life-saving drug in their backpacks, but in case after case, parents all over the country are reporting that the pharmacy shelves are bare.

The problem first arose in May when the drug company Pfizer announced that one of its suppliers was having "manufacturing issues." They had hoped the problem would be solved by now.

There are a handful of different kinds of injectable allergy medications available. However, many of the insurance companies won't cover them - leaving the person in need having to pay as much as $700 out of pocket.

Pfizer says it's working to find a solution and urging anyone who's having trouble finding EpiPens to call the company's hotline at 1-877-EPIPEN1 (3747361). The company also has additional information available on its website.

Source: CBS News


See Also:

More From Hot 104.7 - KKLS-FM