June-- she's in the US.

Is that January or June? Either way it's unacceptable.

Picked up 3 twin packs at Costco just now.  Dates 6/1/15.  Last time I had tried Kroger who couldn't replace the short-dated Auvi due to its supplier not having any with longer dates.

Costco had to order them telling me it could not know the expiration before ordering them.  I show up and did the dance we all do when we are faced with short expiration dates ending with take them or leave them so I took them considering it was zero after coupon.

Since I have the email from previous round (see top) to head of brand at Sanofi I'll be taking a picture to send to her of the 'new' Auvi-q I just picked up.  Doubt she'll care but she's will not be able to say that she's not informed.

One other consideration is country of origin for the manufacturers. EpiPen is labeled USA Auvi is Germany. The supply chain for Sanofi must be insane because I've cleared shipments with less requirements than a controlled substance. Maybe CM knows more about that on the pharm side I only know the trade compliance and shipping. Auvi may have a larger market in Europe or other depending on supply chain.

By leadership you mean head of brand. Yes, she's known for quite a while now as have all her support staff and all of the sales reps. They have little control over the suppliers such as McKesson and Cardinal Health who may choose to try to push out existing supply before ordering more. Auvi as sort of a non-standard device from a military grade injector has a different set of end users. My after the fact commentary is pointless but I'll say it anyhow, Intelliject should not have partnered with Sanofi.

My replacement unit even from Sanofi itself under the supervision with a category manager was still only extended usability by one month. I'm not happy with the response from Sanofi but I keep with the Auvi because quite frankly, I need it. It'll never compete well with EpiPen in numbers but for actual carrying it's probably enjoying a higher rate of true carrying per end user than EpiPen.

Our AuviQs have had a one year or more expire date. When they haven't, just like with EpiPens, we go to a different CVS if we have to to get them.


We have had this issue with EpiPen, too. It's not unique to AuviQ.

We too have experienced the issue with Auvi-q and its very short expiration date.  We filled our prescription through Costco during the first week of September 2014 for our daughter to take with her to elementary school. We had hoped to keep it at her elementary school but realized when we picked up the script that it expired on 5/1/15; it wouldn't even cover her school year before it expired.  I called Costco who directed me to Sanofi.  Sanofi put us through the replacement process for a replacment auvi-q which arrived almost a month later in our local Costco pharmacy.  To our disgust, that month of wait earned us a replacement auvi-q with a 6/1/15 expiration date!  I called Sanofi again and was told that they're very aware of the problem and would offer a $400 credit certificate towards the cost of another auvi-q.  We're going back to the epi-pens; this was never an issue before and the pharmacies seem to be able to get a longer expiration date on the pens. Sanofi's knowledge of the problem and quick willingness to offer a $400 credit certificate seems more like an intentional marketing plan than an actual supply issue.  We're sharing our disgust with auvi-q's expiration date with our community pediatric allergy community, pediatrician's office and local pediatric hospital.  Lets see if leadership within Sanofi starts to pay more attention to their "supply and expiration date" issue if they hear growing complaints from the public accompanied by a declining level of prescriptions as a result of the poor reputation and consumer relationship that they've created for auvi-q.

Quote from: LinksEtc on July 30, 2014, 04:08:29 PM
Tweeted by @AACMaven

https://www.facebook.com/AsthmaAllergiesChildren/posts/728561547191792

Coupons/Replacement info.

That's a new thing. Either it's total coinkidink or a human being with the appropriate job description is taking action.

Sanofi's regular policy is a pain. I'd get the $400 coupon Links linked. Say the last part fast ten times.

Wow! So glad I saw this thread! I just checked with our pharmacy. The stock that JUST came expires in DECEMBER! I'd be SOOOOOO angry, if I paid and left the store. Granted, between insurance and "$0" co pay offers, we don't pay very much, but wow! When you're expecting a 10-12 month shelf life, that's like a punch to the gut!

Talked *directly* to head of brand of Auvi at Sanofi via phone. They know about the supply chain issue and are working on it. We're holding hands through the process so they can see what the customer goes through to acquire and replace.

Anyone who bought a new Auvi with 6 months or less and is willing to go through their process for replacement post here. Buckle up first before posting because it's boring bureaucracy hoop jumping.

"UPDATE – Epi-Pen and Auvi-Q Expiration Dates"
http://ohmahdeehness.wordpress.com/2014/07/30/update-epi-pen-and-auvi-q-expiration-dates/

QuoteI wrote to both Mylan (EpiPen) and Sanofi (Auvi-Q) and shared my previous post "Epi-Pen and Auvi-Q Expiration Date Frustrations" along with the wonderful and informative comments I received from readers and received the following responses I wanted to share here.

Tweeted by @AACMaven

https://www.facebook.com/AsthmaAllergiesChildren/posts/728561547191792

Coupons/Replacement info.

Wow-- I would never have known this given that Optum covers sweet bugger all on the AuviQ so we've never switched.

YIKES. 

For direct comparison, last EpiPens I got had 16 month expiry.   

Thanks for the info & warning!

Sanofi US is blowing up my Twitter and personal email and despite trying to hammer the point home to them that there's a wholesale supplier issue to retail pharmacies I'm down to using MBA-speak with the marketing team directly. Somewhat amusing since DH teaches marketing to MBAs.

FYI PSA whatever you want to call it.

Try to find a McKesson supplied pharmacy in your area. Costco and WalMart are good on Auvi expiration dates in my area and I called to verify that they are supplied by McKesson.

Kroger is supplied by Cardinal Health, my Kroger pharmacist went above and beyond (as did my allergist) to get it replaced. The problem is their supplier is JACKED and keeps saying they have nothing with a better expiration date than 5 month shelf life, and nothing is on the way.

If you try to open a ticket with Sanofi on this they send you paperwork. They're also on Eastern Standard Time for you peeps in a different time zone. The paperwork gives you 31 days from the date of purchase to run you and the pharmacy through the bureaucratic scavenger hunt to then surrender the pack of Auvi to the pharmacy of purchase in order to get a replacement pack.

Thus, if the pharmacy in question MUST replace the pack and their supplier doesn't have jack bye-bye 31 days and counting down window of replacement.

Read: ohmahdeehness.wordpress.com/2014/05/12/epipen-and-auvi-q-expiration-date-frustrations/

Don't be one of the frustrated ones. Call around for the Auvi expiration dates and since it's not uncommon for a pharmacy to not carry it in stock make sure somehow that you get the expiration date settled before purchasing. My Kroger pharmacist was willing to do the exchange even without Sanofi but again--no stock to replace it with!! Wholesale supplier is not refreshing yet. Unless I glue the phone to my head and ride the pharmacist's butt daily to ride Cardinal Health's butt daily within that teeny window Sanofi allows ain't nothing going to get done.

And TT got shtuff to do, KWIM?

School start is coming up and I know a lot of you are going to use the awesome Auvi coupon, many of us going out of the way to pay a little more even for the form factor because we have boys. Mine was $500 for 5 months of shelf life but nothing out of pocket. But many of our prescription policies also changed Jan 1, 2014.

Watch your butts. As GI Joe the cartoon taught me knowing is half the battle.

Side note to CM: Doc already knows. I kept him in the loop.