By Beau Cline
California is taking a significant step in addressing the extremely high cost of insulin, a life saving medication used to manage the effects of diabetes. Those suffering with diabetes aren’t able to produce insulin by themselves which can lead to their body to begin to break down its own fat and muscle resulting in a condition called diabetic ketoacidosis. The cost of insulin has been skyrocketing in recent years, with many patients struggling to afford the essential medication they require to live free from their disease.
According to the Health Care Cost institute the price of insulin has been skyrocketing, in a study they found insulin prices for people with type 1 diabetes has nearly doubled from 2012 to 2016. With an average of $5,705 per patient every year. This has caused patients to ration their insulin, or forgo taking it all together. The effects from this can be horrible, even leading to death in some cases.
In October 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill that will allow the state to produce and distribute its own brand of generic insulin. Doing this will hopefully reduce the cost of this drug for Californians, and will hopefully show other states the great benefits.
California seeks to help this issue by allowing the state to start making and distributing its own generic brand of insulin. The state will partner with a known manufacturer to produce their medication that will be sold significantly cheaper than name brand insulin. Their hope by doing this is to help make the medication more accessible and affordable for all the people of California, ending people’s struggle to get the medication that they need.
The cost of insulin has been a major issue in the United states, for many years with many patients struggling to get the help they need. Hopefully California sets an example of what many states can come together and do to help the citizens of America, but for now Californian patients can breathe a little easier knowing help is on the way.
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