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Thi Burnette

Stacey Said

Technical Writing

3/18/2019

REPORT

Introduction:

Do you know how much diabetes annually costs the U.S? It is more than $327 billion per year, and

there are more than 30 million Americans with diabetes. The price of insulin has tripled from 2002 and 2013

(Cefalu). How would you feel if you cannot afford your medication bill? People who do not have access to

insulin could die because of this unaffordable cost. For millions of people are dealing with this disease and

needing insulin for their survival, it proves that this is indeed an issue. The image below with the headstones

in front of one of the biggest drug companies depicts the consequences of the increasing insulin prices

have led to people died from not having enough doses of insulin. Therefore, my CRQ is: How to make insulin

more affordable?

Cardboard headstones line the sidewalk outside of pharmaceutical company Sanofi's Cambridge, Mass., offices.
The Right Care Alliance held a protest against high insulin prices, which have led some to the dangerous practice
of cutting doses to save. (Anna Bauman/On Point). Source: WBUR 2019.
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Research:

The increase of drug prices is killing not only patients but also their families and society. In 1996,

the list price of a 10-milliliter vial Humalog brand of insulin was $21 per vial; however, was $275 in 2016

(Bauman). This type of insulin even raised more than 13 times over ten years. It reflects that drugs

manufacturers like Sanofi, Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk have increased the prices way too much, which caused

a massive amount of healthcare costs in America.

It is an urgent issue that people cannot afford this expensive drug for their lives. According to an example

from an article on NPR.org, “Alec's pharmacist told him his diabetes supplies would cost $1,300 a month

without insurance — most of that for insulin. His options with insurance weren't much better.” “Sadly, Alec

died less than one month after going off of his mother's insurance. His family thinks he was rationing his

insulin — using less than he needed — to try to make it last until he could afford to buy more. He died

alone in his apartment three days before payday. The insulin pen he used to give himself shots was empty”

(Smith). Even a person who works 40 hours per week making an average $25 per hour may still find this
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insulin cost is over their budget for healthcare every month. Another story by Gail Devore illustrates the

issue, “I changed jobs and I got better insurance, but insulin was still a big part of my monthly budget. By

2010, insulin was close to $100 a bottle. Just last month, my local pharmacy informed me that it is now $330

per bottle of Novolog and Humalog. I use anywhere from 3 to 4 bottles of insulin per month.” (Devore). The

question is why insulin has become so pricey here?

While it is obvious that this issue affects the whole nation, my report is concentrating on our local

Tarrant County Government. The issue is that insulin prices in America are the highest compared to other

countries. It is a national crisis that we should make something happen, even though it is at a local level to

help patients in Texas.

Conclusion:

The reason why insulin is very pricey and increasing three times over one decade is still unclear;

however, the complexity of drug supply chain is one of the biggest contributors to the problem. Therefore,

at a local level, it is necessary that Tarrant County Government should consider to work with hospitals to

design assistance programs like 340B drug discount pricing program at JPS, and deal with drug price

transparency legislation, anti-competitive lawsuits, caps on drug prices, and the removal of barriers to

importation, the trial of new gene transfer therapy using a viral vector of pancreatic cells is implementing

at UT Health San Antonio.

Sources:

Cefalu, T. William., et al. “Insulin Access and Affordability Working Group: Conclusions and

Recommendations.” Diabetes Care, vol. 41, June 2018, pp. 1299-1311. Accessed 21 March 2019.

Devore, Gail. “Why Is Insulin So Expensive in America?.” ASweetLife, 17 July 2018,

https://asweetlife.org/why-is-insulin-so-expensive-in-america/. Accessed 21 March 2019.

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Johnson, Y. Carolyn. “Why Treating Diabetes Keeps Getting More Expensive.” The Washington

Post, 31 October 2016, www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/10/31/why-insulin-prices-have-

kept-rising-for-95-years/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.a6b5022d5ac7. Accessed 21 March 2019.

Smith, Bram Sable. “Insulin's High Cost Leads To Lethal Rationing.” NPR, 1 September 2018,

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/09/01/641615877/insulins-high-cost-leads-to-lethal-

rationing. Accessed 21 March 2019.

Whitman, R. William. “Drug discount pricing program that’s crucial to JPS is at risk”. Fort-Worth

Star-Telegram, 12 August 2016, https://www.star-telegram.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/other-

voices/article95417457.html. Accessed 21 March 2019.