The Four Thieves Vinegar Collective is an anarchist biohacking group founded in 2015 by Michael Laufer. They have published instructions for the "EpiPencil", an epinephrine autoinjector, and the "Apothecary MicroLab", a do-it-yourself (DIY) device intended to make a variety of medications, most notably pyrimethamine (Daraprim). They have been criticized by the medical community for causing potential harm to patients with the DIY instructions, but Laufer claims to defend people's right to attempt their own medical treatment. Members Four Thieves' membership is generally composed of technically-trained people, but does not include medical professionals. Views Laufer has compared his work to that of Women on Waves, a group that provides abortion medication to women in areas where abortion is illegal. His motivation in founding the group is to provide medication to people when it is too expensive for them to afford, is illegal to acquire, or is unavailable due to it treating an orphan disease. He believes that providing lifesaving medication to any that need it justifies violating intellectual property rights of pharmaceutical companies, and supports cognitive liberty. History Laufer, who is trained in mathematics, decided to form the group in 2008 during a graduate school trip to El Salvador. While visiting a local medical clinic he learned that despite the existence of many clandestine chemistry labs producing methamphetamine and MDMA, the clinic was out of oral contraceptives. He investigated the possibility of DIY pharmaceuticals which culminated in the founding of Four Thieves in 2015. He took the name from four thieves vinegar, a legendary plague cure. Four Thieves had formerly partnered with Chematica to develop recipes for the group's medication, but this ended and they lost access to information and software they had been given after pharmaceutical company Merck bought the startup. EpiPencil In 2016, after the price for an EpiPen was raised from $57 to $318 by its manufacturer Mylan, Four Thieves released instructions for how to build an "EpiPencil", a homemade epinephrine autoinjector that can be built for $30. It is made from three off-the-shelf parts. It has been criticized for potential danger. Theresa Eisenman, a spokeswoman for the United States Food and Drug Administration, stated that using such a device is a "potentially dangerous practice". The device is not known to have actually been used. Apothecary MicroLab Four Thieves has released instructions for building an "Apothecary MicroLab", a DIY device claimed to be able to synthesize a variety