As many Americans face challenges associated with the inflated cost of insulin and other diabetes care products, a solution beyond legislation and pharmaceutical dependency is needed.
Alexandra Mulvey
Senior Science Writer, JDRF
For more than 9 million Americans, insulin is a lifeline, helping them to combat both type 1 diabetes and variations of type 2 diabetes.
In April 2022, JDRF, alongside other leading organizations from the diabetes ecosystem, announced their support of Civica to combat a nationwide insulin affordability crisis.
The project created by Civica, a nonprofit generic pharmaceutical company, intends to manufacture and distribute low-cost biosimilar insulin options for three of the most-prescribed insulins: glargine (Lantus®), lispro (Humalog®), and aspart (Novolog®). Anticipated to hit the market in 2024, this program will allow anyone to purchase insulin at no more than the list price of $30/vial or $55/box of five pens, regardless of insurance status.
Why is this important?
Over a 10-year period, the cost of insulin increased threefold. Currently, insulin can cost between $175 and $300 a vial, or up to $1,000 a month. Studies have shown that these inflated costs can cause up to 25% of people with diabetes to skip or ration their insulin, potentially leading to medical emergencies, severe complications, or death. Once brought to market, these biosimilars will save lives by significantly lowering the cost of insulin for millions of Americans.
Organizations like JDRF and the American Diabetes Association have been fighting the rising cost of insulin for years, advocating for both private sector solutions and action in Washington, D.C.
While some progress has been made, there is more to be done. Until there are long-term solutions to make life-saving drugs like insulin affordable for everyone, resources like GetInsulin.org, created by Beyond Type 1 and JDRF, are pertinent tools needed to help provide direction to assistance programs and low-cost solutions.