Of course what we are really hoping for is a new engineered insulin that is instant on, responsive to glucose level, stable, and doesn’t lead to hypoglycaemic episodes, and is pump friendly.
That will cost more money but would be worthwhile.
And of course the companies deserve a return on their investment.
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Maybe it’s because it’s super old, I don’t know but the procedure is written in a bizarre manor. Some things are called out my chemical name. Some things like alchahol is so weirdly vague. What kind of alchahol. Ethanol methanol isopropanol ?
Then they go back and forth between being specific to being vague over and over. It is not possible to ever follow this procedure with so much vagueness.
Do I need to mention the vagueness of skimming off the top.
I really can’t imagine this could be a real SOP. Unless they really didn’t know how to write one back in 1922.
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This is an unusual mix of public-private solution. I think the public vs private issue has been addressed because there are both private and public options at play. They are hitting this from so many angles that this is definitely gonna move forward.
1.) PUBLIC SOLUTIONS - The (federal) diabetes caucus is looking at this from a public standpoint. There is lobbying for price caps, allowing biosimilars, PBM regulation, etc. Some of that legislation has passed at a state level in CO or MN and worked its way up into to the Federal level. Those represent possible public solutions that are under discussion.
2.) MISH MASH OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SOLUTION - CA has a unique public/private partnership.
3.) PRIVATE SOLUTION - Mayo clinics initiative is the fully private solution - “Drug shortages continue to be a major health care issue in the U.S., with more than 200 active shortages each year since 2018. Mayo Clinic has taken a leadership role in combating drug shortages and was a founding member of Civica Rx, a nonprofit generic drug company working to reduce shortages of essential medications used by hospitals. Civica Rx also recently announced plans to manufacture and distribute affordable insulin. The End Drug Shortages Alliance was launched in late 2021 to bring together industry stakeholders, including health care organizations, group purchasing organizations, manufacturers, distributors, and other industry thought leaders and champions to take on the issue.”
I think we see a lot of relationships formed between these players and the gov from covid experience. We also see a lot of support for moving manufacturing back into the US. The old ‘song and dance’ brick walls are gonna fall. When people are close to actually finding a ‘fix,’ you see them approach the problem from many different angles and that’s how you know they are close to succeeding. One of these strategies is going to succeed.
What are we going to do with all of our extra $ once we don’t have to give it all straight to the sharks? Money is power so we better start thinking about it. I’m getting extraordinarily close to not paying much money into ‘the system’ at all. Omnipod still has me, and that’s pricey. My policy is pricey. But, improvements are being made. You prob know how I rid myself of paying into the clinic, or even needing to talk to them (Its been over a year since we spoke). Clinic appointments were the most valueless expense that I had. I’ve dropped my Dexcom expenses by going old school manual checks. I’ll never be rid of insurance policy expenses, but I see how to make payments into the system as low as possible. Some of these solutions are brittle, but I value my opportunity to experiment.
I am dangerously close to being able to support myself, despite medical expenses. All the guys I graduated with can do it and some of them have expensive chronic illnesses. They all make twice as much as me, but with some games, I might be able to do it too. There was a time when this was so out of reach as to seem impossible, but I’m gonna catch up with those boys. I did all their homework during school, and they just copied and pasted it off the internet, so I know I can catch up with them…given some time.
I’m almost afraid to point out this thread’s current status. Please excuse my excursion into the meta.
I want to thank everyone for remaining civil and informative for this issue. It’s not so simple to declare “no politics” as the clear bright line that no one is permitted to cross.
Politics permeates everything. What matters is that everyone treats others with a minimal respect.
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Can anyone please explain why most drugs have generics manufactured immediately after the patent drops away, but insulin is 100 years old and the only generics are the ones manufactured by the brand name manufacturers? (And that’s only recently happened, and the generics are still wildly overpriced when compared with what other countries charge for brand name insulin?)
There is no f-ing way I would ever pump/inject a government issued insulin into my body! This is coming from a guy who has all C vaccines, flu, pneumonia, shingles et al up to date. Obviously some forgot to tell the Governor that Walmart has this handled.
The reason insulin has no generic is because the 3 companies have a lot of money and they secure this polyopoly.
Humalog has been around 30 years so yea there should be a third party manufacturer there is certainly enough money it it.
It was 25 dollars per bottle when it came out and now it’s close to 300. There isn’t more research to pay for they do it because they can and no one is stopping them. At least california is trying to exert some pressure. I’m doubting it will really come to anything but I support the effort
It’s more difficult to make insulin than the average chemical drug.
You need to cultivate live cells and transfect dna and all that.
It’s a big commitment. But it’s doable.
The government isn’t going to make the insulin themselves, they would find a company to do it and pay them some money to get it going.
But as I said earlier, this is really just a bargaining chip to get the insulin big 3 to reduce their prices.
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