(Before It's News)
Are Drug Companies Squeezing Us For
Profits?
by Dr. Ada Fisher
From December 20-24, 2012 Salisbury, NC was out of my
regular insulin. So what’s up with
that?
I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2005 and require insulin
for its control. I chose to go with Novulin a man-made recombinant
DNA as opposed to Humulin and other human pooled product insulins.
When I started
taking insulin, the cost was less than $7 per bottle after the insurance
co-pay. Last year that same bottle was $15 and this month it is
$18.67. That is a 20% increase in cost in less than one year and a
300% cost increase in seven years for a product that hasn’t changed in terms of
the recipe for its manufacture nor armamentarium to produce.
Additionally with the burgeoning diabetic population in this country
alone, insulin almost assuredly guarantees a steady stream of dependent
customers. Is the lily being gilded on this product which could
touch over 30 million potential customers with diabetes where likely 10 million
of these may be insulin dependent?
When I was out of Novulin regular insulin it was tricky juggling my
medical knowledge to keep my blood sugars in line. What happens for
non-physicians so affected? Walgreens on Jake Alexander Boulevard in
Salisbury, NC called all of their area stores and other local
pharmacists trying to accommodate my need for an insulin
fix. No such insulin was available in the community
which I found incredulous. None of the local suppliers were able
to get the insulin within four days which is unacceptable given that such a drug
is essential for many of us who are diabetics. This
is the 3rd time this year that such has happened at
Walgreens.
I use Novulin because I am a bit squimish on using human blood products
in the age of AIDS, the recombinant type despite being man made is
cheap after insurance kicks in and it is quite effective at keeping
my hemoglobin–a1c consistently below 7. The newer preparations
and some of the other combination insulins, especially those in the convenient
pens, can run over $150 after insurance.
I smell
a rotten egg. With the advent of Obamacare, shortages will happen
so here is one for the books that the Food and Drug Administration
as well as the Department of Health and Human Services can investigate for price
gouging and manufactured shortages. If we do it for gasoline why
not look at a life saving necessity such as insulin?
Dr. Ada M. Fisher is a PHYSICIAN, licensed teacher for
secondary education in mathematics and science, previously elected school board
member, Gifted Public Speaker =and IS THE nc rEPUBLICAN nATIONAL
cOMMITTEEWOMAN. Her Book, Common Sense Conservative PRescriptions
Solutions For What Ails Us, Book I may be ordered in any bookstore or is
available on line through Amazon.com or thecreatespacestore.com
Contact her at P. O. Box 777; Salisbury, NC 28145;
[email protected]
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