NYT: 'We Either Buy Insulin or We Die' (Video)

[Celerity]

The high (and rising) cost of insulin is forcing diabetics to risk their lives to get the drug.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/13/opinion/insulin-price-costs.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage

Insulin has become so unaffordable that Type 1 diabetics are pushed to take risks, like rationing and buying from strangers online. The video Op-Ed above reveals the lengths to which they go to get a nearly century-old drug and how Americans are dying from a perfectly manageable autoimmune disease. Patent laws and existing regulations allow the top three manufacturers to continuously increase prices without consequences.

Colorado has recently capped insulin co-payments, and Congress is actively investigating why the price of insulin is so high. Eli Lilly, one of the top three insulin makers, has also announced a half-price alternative to its top-selling product. But this is not enough: Insulin must be affordable and accessible to prevent more unnecessary deaths.

Robin Cressman is a Type 1 diabetic and created Liberate Insulin. Nicole Smith-Holt (@NSmithholt12) lost her son, Alec Smith, to insulin rationing in 2017 and is an activist with T1International. Laura Pavlakovich is also diabetic and founded You’re Just My Type (@yourejustmytype1), a diabetes nonprofit. Paulius Podziunas is a Type 1 diabetic.

[UpInArms]

1. Big pharma execs should all be in prison for murder

https://www.forbes.com/sites/nathanvardi/2019/06/12/move-over-martin-shkreli-this-pharma-exec-is-accused-of-fixing-prices-on-107-drugs/#16d72aa1cb38

In this case, however, the family was made up of generic-drug makers Teva Pharmaceuticals, Mylan, Actavis, Lupin, Novartis’ Sandoz, Taro Pharmaceuticals and others. On a single day, Friday, April 2014, the scheme hiked the price on 22 generic drugs—ranging from cephalexin, a bacterial infection antibiotic, which jumped 185%, to ketoconazole cream, used to combat athletes foot and jock itch, which jumped 110%, to diflunisal, an anti-inflammatory, up as much as 182%.

In annals of marketing, their concerted action was impressive. The move rubbed out price competition and profit erosion in an industry plagued by them—and created a windfall for those in on the game.

[democratisphere]

2. Just another example of why free market capitalism absolutely does not work.

Last edited Thu Jun 13, 2019, 10:48 AM - Edit history (1)

Big Pharma needs price controls as they insist on a campaign of price gouging for all of their products. Perhaps we need non-profit pharmaceutical manufacturers that exist only for the greater good of humans. Wall Street healthcare must end as it is killing people, making many others suffer and destroying people financially for the pure insatiable greed of a few. The government makes noise but actually does nothing. They are accomplices in the carnage by supporting their corporate masters and the souless wealthiest.