Cost Of Insulin Triples, Driven By More Expensive Synthetic Product
Analog insulin, a man-made version, is faster-acting than human insulin, and considered more convenient to use, but it is also putting a higher price tag on care for diabetics.
KPCC:
Concern Over The Rising Cost Of Insulin
The average price of insulin tripled between 2002 and 2013, according to a research letter published today in JAMA, and that has led to higher costs for diabetics. Meanwhile, the cost of noninsulin therapies has trended downward, the researchers found. (Plevin, 4/5)
STAT:
Insulin Prices Have Skyrocketed, Putting Drug Makers On The Defensive
Here’s a sticking point for diabetics: the cost of insulin more than tripled — from $231 to $736 a year per patient — between 2002 and 2013, according to a new analysis. The increase reflected rising prices for a milliliter of insulin, which climbed 197 percent from $4.34 per to $12.92 during the same period. Meanwhile, the amount of money spent by each patient on other diabetes medications fell 16 percent, to $502 from $600, according to a research letter published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. (Silverman, 4/5)