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Americans Are Getting Tired Of The Inhumane Cost Of Insulin Interview

Jonas Grinevičius and
Austėja Akavickaitė
Every diabetic should have easy and affordable access to life-saving insulin. There shouldn't even be a debate about it. However, many diabetics living in the United States find themselves paying an arm and a leg each month just to buy life-saving insulin. Prices in the US are sky-high compared to the rest of the developed world and Americans are fed up with what amounts to pretty much financial extortion, led by pharmaceutical, and insurance companies. Even before you look at the immense human suffering high insulin prices cause-for instance, with people choosing to endanger their health by rationing what little insulin they have or even going without any-all it takes a casual glance at the stats to see that there's something fishy going on. Forbes explains that while the US represents only 15 percent of the global insulin market, it actually generates a whopping 50 percent of the industry's insulin revenue. Bored Panda reached out to Dr. Andrew Carroll from Arizona to better understand the high insulin costs in the US and what Americans who can barely afford it can do. There are cheaper alternatives and they're better than rationing your insulin which could lead to very serious health problems. "All medications in the US are more expensive than in the rest of the world. Part of the reason is that many drugs are developed in the US and pharmaceutical companies claim that they need to recover the costs of their research and development," Dr. Carroll said. "Because pricing tends to be controlled in other countries, the only way they can make a large profit is to increase the pricing in the US, where the only pricing control tends to come from competitive pricing between PBM's (Pharmacy Benefit Managers), such as OptumRx, Express Scripts, etc."

The price of insulin in the US is sky-high and is wrecking countless lives as a result

Image credits: mollyluise Image credits: voxdotcom Image credits: SiobhanFTB According to Dr. Carroll, the US government has been asked to intervene to get all pharmaceutical pricing in the country under control. "I have a brother who is a pharmaceutical researcher. I know the development of medications takes a lot of work and money. So there is some need to recover those costs. But the pricing of drugs, over time, tends to go up, not down. If that was the excuse, then the pricing of a drug should go down over time, not up, since ideally, they will have recovered their R&D costs and initial production costs at the beginning," he explained to Bored Panda. Bored Panda wanted to know what diabetics who find themselves stuck financially can do. Dr. Carroll warned that rationing insulin is not a viable strategy. "People who depend on insulin as the only means of diabetes control (Type I Diabetes) run a huge short and long term risk if they ration their medication. The costs, including Emergency Room visits as well as health effects, such as renal failure, blindness, heart attacks, and strokes, could cause long-term disability," he said. However, there are ways around this, financially. At least in part. "There are some insulins which are much cheaper, and a diabetic's physician can help guide them to find a solution which works and doesn't force poverty. This could include Humulin-N, Humulin-R, and Humulin 70/30. But as you can see, even these are fairly expensive, despite having been generic for a long time." Dr. Carroll also pointed out that there is another way: "There are other programs such as the Medicine Assistance Tool, that if you qualify due to low income, may help you obtain medications for free through pharmaceutical manufacturer programs."

Some stories are very tragic People are bursting into tears listening to how some parents have to struggle to provide insulin for their kids

Image credits: slimkwow@slimkwow##type1diabetes ##kids ##struggle ##ontheedge ##imdone♬ original sound – Katie Schieffer "Newer versions of insulin retail for between $175 and $300 a vial. Most patients with diabetes need two to three vials per month, and some can require more," writes Joshua Cohen for Forbes. These are mind-boggling prices to pay for a vital product. Insulin therapy has been around since 1922 and developed over the years in a showcase of scientific strength. However, the financial side of things isn't something to marvel over. While the rest of the world has embraced the necessity to give diabetics free or at least cheap access to what they need, around a third of the 35 million Americans who have diabetes and require insulin to manage the disease find themselves facing very real, very practical financial dilemmas each month.

The price of insulin in the US is incredibly high Far far higher than in nations all over the world

Image credits: SenSanders Image credits: BetoORourke Image credits: mat_johnson Image credits: DoreenRudolph3 Image credits: Maxonsdad Image credits: Fracky16 Image credits: Majestik12 Image credits: Maxyma11 Image credits: elronxenu Image credits: theeactivist1 Image credits: Joe_Wuh_Puh Image credits: CourageBipolar Image credits: syndieuzcat Image credits: lnstevens91976 Image credits: RizzySaint Image credits: Ozymandias88_ Image credits: Trey_Explainer Image credits: MKMaybe Image credits: AM_Pines Image credits: Superstitionsee Image credits: randymco Image credits: PomonaCottage52 Image credits: trishylynn21 Image credits: NellU88 Image credits: fine1102 Image credits: BlasineA Whether they're insured, underinsured, or uninsured, Americans still pay a hefty price for something so basic that some other nations are giving away free of charge. As to why the prices are so high, the short answer is that market isn't as regulated as tightly as it could be and so drugmakers can pretty much do what they want. To put it bluntly, they keep the prices high because they can. Meanwhile, the excuse that pharmaceutical companies tend to give is that they constantly innovate, creating more effective products.

Here s how some more social media users have been reacting to the ridiculous fact that insulin still costs an arm and a leg in the US

Anyone can write on Bored Panda. Start writing! Follow Bored Panda on Google News! Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda! Share on Facebook Jonas Grinevičius Follow Unfollow Jonas Grinevičius Writer, BoredPanda staff Jonas is a Bored Panda writer who previously worked as a world news journalist elsewhere. After getting his bachelor's degree in Politics and International Relations at the University of Manchester, he returned home and graduated from Vilnius University with a master's degree in Comparative Politics. Jonas enjoys writing articles ranging from serious topics like politics and social issues to more lighthearted things like art, pop culture, and nature. In his spare time, Jonas writes books and short stories and likes to draw lighthearted illustrations. A huge fan of literature, films, philosophy, and tabletop games, he also has a special place in his heart for anything related to fantasy or science fiction. Read more » Austėja Akavickaitė Follow Unfollow Austėja Akavickaitė Author, BoredPanda staff Austėja is a Photo Editor at Bored Panda with a BA in Photography. They have a diverse set of creative skills and a wide portfolio which ranges from photography to digital editing and traditional art. After graduating from Nottingham Trent University in 2018 they have worked as a freelance photographer until Bored Panda. When not editing, they enjoy biking, taking too many pictures of their dog and drawing. Read more » Show All Contributors Get the latest inspiring stories via our awesome iOS app! Download Bored Panda app! 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But when there are efforts made to resolve the situation, 55% of the Americans have objections because "I ain't paying none of my goddamn money for some transvestite to have a sex change operation or some kid to have an abortion." It's also quite striking that the Republicans still are claiming that the Affordable Care Act is a failure and that's why they are working to have it destroyed. Despite the fact that Obamacare has put a lot of families in a much more stable financial position and hat it has provided coverage for millions of previously uninsured Americans. But somehow that's a bad thing according to the Republicans. 24 24points reply Grumble O'Pug Grumble O'Pug Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 year ago Works great when you don't have a job in my state, though. When you work, it's less affordable with copays. When I had a diabetic dog in the 90's it was so cheap to buy. Dems are in bed with pharma as much as republicans and that's why no one does actually anything. 3 3points reply Load More Replies... Kevin Hickey Kevin Hickey Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 year ago They brought Joe Lieberman in to help them write the ACA, and that's all you need to know about that. 0 0points reply Bowtechie Bowtechie Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 year ago Honestly the ACA IS a failure. I verify insurance benefits for a living and the plans on the marketplace are just plain terrible. The "affordable" options with the lowest premiums have the least coverage and would result in a ton of out of pocket costs - and that's even if you manage to meet the astronomically high deductibles. And anything with halfway decent coverage is anything but "affordable". Also, just a side note because I don't know if the ACA is responsible for this, but kicking dependents off at 26 (or any age, really) in this day and age is also terrible and shouldn't be a thing. 0 0points reply Alexis Draskinis Alexis Draskinis Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 year ago It was supposed to be something else completely. Closer to a more universal system while still allowing private insurance. Unfortunately it was rechanged into what it is now, through vetos & changed wording. It did help a lot of people get insurance but it wasnt full proof. I was stuck in the middle. Made too much to qualify for the reduced plans BUT didnt make enough to afford a private plan. So i've been taking a hit on my taxes for the last few yrs for not having any insurance. 0 0points reply David David Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 year ago The affordable care act!? Sure.... I HAD insurance, but the the $12,000 deductible that had to be paid before services, it was just the government forcing me to buy something I could never use! Just because people HAVE insurance, doesn't make it good. 0 0points reply Smutná_elfka Smutná_elfka Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 year ago Free market doesn't work in healthcare. It makes it very ineffective and over-priced. It was proven to be the worst possible healthcare system. They literally teach this in a pharmacy school (here in Europe, at least). 24 24points reply Eslamala Eslamala Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 year ago The U.S and its contradictions... Throwing money in the trash to finance the military, while screwing over their citizens. Even in the Southamerican shïthole I currently live insulin and all diabetes-related treatment is FREE. Go figure! 19 19points reply Grumble O'Pug Grumble O'Pug Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 year ago Nailed it. The sacred cow is military. 1 1point reply Load More Replies... Load More Comments POST WilvanderHeijden WilvanderHeijden Community Member • points posts comments upvotes 1 year ago Almost everyone in the US is complaining about the complete lack of an affordable and accessible health care system. But when there are efforts made to resolve the situation, 55% of the Americans have objections because "I ain't paying none of my goddamn money for some transvestite to have a sex change operation or some kid to have an abortion." It's also quite striking that the Republicans still are claiming that the Affordable Care Act is a failure and that's why they are working to have it destroyed. Despite the fact that Obamacare has put a lot of families in a much more stable financial position and hat it has provided coverage for millions of previously uninsured Americans. But somehow that's a bad thing according to the Republicans. 24 24points reply Grumble O'Pug Grumble O'Pug Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 year ago Works great when you don't have a job in my state, though. When you work, it's less affordable with copays. When I had a diabetic dog in the 90's it was so cheap to buy. Dems are in bed with pharma as much as republicans and that's why no one does actually anything. 3 3points reply Load More Replies... Kevin Hickey Kevin Hickey Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 year ago They brought Joe Lieberman in to help them write the ACA, and that's all you need to know about that. 0 0points reply Bowtechie Bowtechie Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 year ago Honestly the ACA IS a failure. I verify insurance benefits for a living and the plans on the marketplace are just plain terrible. The "affordable" options with the lowest premiums have the least coverage and would result in a ton of out of pocket costs - and that's even if you manage to meet the astronomically high deductibles. And anything with halfway decent coverage is anything but "affordable". Also, just a side note because I don't know if the ACA is responsible for this, but kicking dependents off at 26 (or any age, really) in this day and age is also terrible and shouldn't be a thing. 0 0points reply Alexis Draskinis Alexis Draskinis Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 year ago It was supposed to be something else completely. Closer to a more universal system while still allowing private insurance. Unfortunately it was rechanged into what it is now, through vetos & changed wording. It did help a lot of people get insurance but it wasnt full proof. I was stuck in the middle. Made too much to qualify for the reduced plans BUT didnt make enough to afford a private plan. So i've been taking a hit on my taxes for the last few yrs for not having any insurance. 0 0points reply David David Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 year ago The affordable care act!? Sure.... I HAD insurance, but the the $12,000 deductible that had to be paid before services, it was just the government forcing me to buy something I could never use! Just because people HAVE insurance, doesn't make it good. 0 0points reply Smutná_elfka Smutná_elfka Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 year ago Free market doesn't work in healthcare. It makes it very ineffective and over-priced. It was proven to be the worst possible healthcare system. They literally teach this in a pharmacy school (here in Europe, at least). 24 24points reply Eslamala Eslamala Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 year ago The U.S and its contradictions... Throwing money in the trash to finance the military, while screwing over their citizens. Even in the Southamerican shïthole I currently live insulin and all diabetes-related treatment is FREE. Go figure! 19 19points reply Grumble O'Pug Grumble O'Pug Community Member • points posts comments upvotes FollowUnfollow 1 year ago Nailed it. The sacred cow is military. 1 1point reply Load More Replies... Load More Comments Popular on Bored Panda I Used AI To See What These 23 Popular Cartoon Characters Would Look Like In Real Life 30 Y.O. 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