nice article on the insulin pricing machine
beyondtype1.org
when someone has diabetes their blood sugar becomes too high
if it goes too high they develop diabetic ketoacidosis
if its not stopped
well
they can die
when a diabetic is on insulin sometimes their blood sugar goes too low
if it gets too low they become unconscious
and
if the sugar level gets too low
well
they can die
there is type 1 diabetes
these folks dont make insulin
the pancreas cells that make insulin are destroyed
a person with type 1 diabetes has to have insulin given as injections in order to live
without it
well
they will die
there is type 2 diabetes
the more common one
these folks make insulin ok
it for various reasons doesnt work well
many of these folks are obese
if they could control their diet and lose weight and exercise they can control their diabetes without any medication
most of these folks take oral medication that either simulates the pancreas cells to make more insulin or the drug makes it easier for the insulin to work better
some take new injectible meds that do the same thing
some end up on insulin to help out
its usually better to have type 2 then type 1
type 1 folks use to be doomed to an early death via kidney failure heart attacks amputation blindness strokes at an early age
now with better blood sugar monitoring and more aggressive insulin treatment their life expectancy is for many approaching normal
now enter the cost of insulin going up
what triggered this blog today was a type 1 diabetec who at 26 went off his parents insurance plan such that he no longer had insurance coverage
diabetes is an expensive disease
his insulin each month use to be a few hundred dollars
now the cost went to well over $1,000++ a month
being an independent person he stretched out his medicine such that his blood sugars gradually climbed over time
he was found dead from a diabetic coma
he couldnt afford his insulin that he needed to stay alive
why i wondered
insulin has been around as long as i can remember
it should be cheap
it was discovered in 1921
the inventor sold the patent to the university of toronto so no one could patent it and sell it at an expensive amount
the original insulin came from animals like pigs
later it was made in the lab
thats when the new patent stuff happened
thats when the prices started to climb
1997 a vial of humalog they manufactured in the lab insulin cost $27
today that vial costs $300 +-
some folks use the insulin pens which are more expensive than the vials
they are more convenient
thet old insulin has to be taken a lot more often like several times a day
that old insulin may not work as well
nowadays
most folks take the new insulins
they work better
they cost more though
you have to pay a lot for it
the fingers get pointed at
the drug manufacturers
the middle man folks who control the flow of drugs to pharmacies and hospitals and doctors offices
they tack on a lot of money to the cost of the insulin
then the final stop is the pharmacies
they tack on their profit
whats left is an expensive product
one that if you are a type 1 diabetic
you have to have to live
like a kidney failure patient who has to have dialysis each week
or they die
so be it with the type 1 diabetic
they have to have the insulin
or they die
like the young man i mentioned above
this insulin enigma is whats wrong with our health care system
other examples
the epi pen price gouging
the cancer drug increases
the asthma medicine price increases
etc etc etc
this insulin debacle is like the health care coverage debacle
it doesnt care what your politics are
without it the insulin the person
will die
again
when they start debating this drug pricing thing
pay close attention
it will affect you
if you are a type 1 diabetic
it may decide when you
will die
make them the politicians fix this
the organicgreen doctor
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