The Cost of Insulin

in the United
States
| Insulin |
By Vanessa Fok
 “Insulin does not
belong to me, it
belongs to the world.”

- Frederick Banting -
Why is insulin
important?
 7.4
Million people in the U.S.
require insulin according to the
American Medical Association
 What is Insulin?
● Insulin is a hormone that works as a gatekeeper. It moves glucose
(sugar) into your cells from your blood.
● The cells use the glucose for energy, or it can be changed into fat.
● Insulin is important because if you don’t produce enough or can’t
use it, your cells don’t have the energy it needs to work.
Type One Diabetes
● There are 1.6 million Americans with Type One Diabetes according
to the American Diabetes Association.
● T1D is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or
no insulin.
● Before 1923, type one diabetes was a fatal disease because of
Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA).
 Why is the
cost of insulin
so high?
Insulin Companies
The Big Three
● Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi produce 96% of the insulin
worldwide.
How do these companies get away with
the high price tag?
● Vulnerable population
● Evergreening
● Lobbying- Novo Nordisk spent 3.2 million lobbying
Congress in 2017.
● Pharmacy benefit managers and other middlemen benefit
from the high price.
Biosimilar Drug
● Biosimilars cannot be manufactured until the original patent
of the product expires.
● Generic drugs are copies of chemical drugs. a biosimilar is a
copy of a biologic medicine that is similar, but not identical, to
the original medicine.
● Biosimilars are difficult to
produce because
manufacturer have to find
a way to make living cells
look and work the same
the original version
What are the effects
of price gouging in
the US?
Alec Smith Angie Summers
 Extreme Lengths
● Traveling Abroad
○ Canada
○ Mexico
● Black Market
○ Facebook
○ eBay
○ Craigslist,
 Current Laws

● Price caps
○ In April of 2020, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed
House Bill 66 which is a bill that will limit cost- sharing to $50
for a 30-day supply of insulin for those who have
state-regulated commercial insurance. Cost-sharing is the
share of cost covered by insurance that patients pay out of
their own pockets. The American Diabetes Association
believes this bill will help bring economic relief to the 870,000
Virginians who live with diabetes.
 Thanks
Do you have any questions?

CREDITS: This presentation template was created by Slideshow,

including icons by Flaticon, infographics & images by Freepik

Please keep this slide for attribution

 References

Blakemore, E. (2021, February 1). New diabetes cases linked to covid-19. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/02/01/covid-new-onset-diabetes/

Burge, M. R., & Schade, D. S. (2014). Diabetes and the Affordable Care Act. Diabetes technology & therapeutics, 16(7), 399–413. https://doi.org/10.1089/dia.2014.0171

CLASS ACTION v. Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Sanofi (Fed. Cir. Mar. 18, 2019).

Craig, A. (2020, January 28). U.S. Rep. Angie Craig introduces bill to examine impacts of skyrocketing insulin prices with house colleagues stauber, phillips and guest [Press release].

https://craig.house.gov/media/press-releases/us-rep-angie-craig-introduces-bill-examine-impacts-skyrocketing-insulin-prices#:~:text=The%20bipartisan%20Insulin%20Affordability%20Data,him%20to%20ration%20

%20doses

Day, A. (2020, April 14). Virginia caps insulin co-pays at $50 for Virginians with diabetes [Press release]. https://www.diabetes.org/newsroom/press-releases/2020/insulin-co-pays-virginia

Herkert, D., B.S., Vijayakumar, P., B.A., Luo, Jing,M.D., M.P.H., Schwartz, J. I., M.D., Rabin, Tracy L,M.D., S.M., DeFilippo, E., M.D., & Lipska, Kasia J,M.D., M.H.S. (2019). Cost-related insulin underuse among patients with diabete

JAMA Internal Medicine, 179(1), 112. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.5008

Howatt, G. (2019, June 24). Faced with soaring costs and insurance restrictions, Minnesota diabetics are turning to Facebook, eBay, Craigslist and other lesser-known markets where they can offer medication they no longer need

and ask others for help. Government Technology. Retrieved April 23, 2021, from https://www.govtech.com/health/frustrated-diabetics-use-internet-black-market-for-insulin.html

Lilly announces program to provide insulin at discounted prices: Starting january 1, people who pay the highest out-of-pocket prices for insulin, such as those who pay full retail price at the pharmacy, may directly benefit from 40

percent discount. (2016, Dec 13). PR Newswire Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/wire-feeds/lilly-announces-program-provide-insulin-at/docview/1848076200/se-2?accountid=3785

Maru, S. (2019, July 28). U.S. presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders joins 'insulin caravan' to Windsor, Ont. CBC News. Retrieved April 23, 2021, from

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/bernie-sanders-insulin-caravan-windsor-1.5228228

Rauhala, E. (2019, July 31). As price of insulin soars, Americans caravan to Canada for lifesaving medicine. The Washington Post.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/as-price-of-insulin-soars-americans-caravan-to-canada-for-lifesaving-medicine/2019/06/14/0a272fb6-8217-11e9-9a67-a687ca99fb3d_story.html

Reduce Insulin Prices, H.R. HB19-1216, 2019 Gen. Assem. (Colo., as passed, May 22, 2019). https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1216

Thomas, K. (2017, January 30). Drug makers accused of fixing prices on insulin. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/30/health/drugmakers-lawsuit-insulin-drugs.html