Has Insulin Become a Privilege Rather Than a Right in America?
Despite Frederick Banting’s intention to make insulin freely available by selling the patent for just $1, insulin has become prohibitively expensive in the United States, with some patients paying over $300 per vial. This transformation of a life-saving medication from an affordable necessity to a luxury item represents a fundamental betrayal of the discoverer’s vision and raises critical questions about healthcare as a human right versus a market commodity.
Dr. Kumar’s Take
The current insulin pricing crisis is a moral failure that would horrify Frederick Banting. When the discoverer of insulin deliberately gave away one of medicine’s most valuable patents to ensure affordability, he established a clear ethical precedent: life-saving medications should serve humanity, not enrich corporations. Today’s reality - where Americans ration insulin and die from diabetic ketoacidosis because they can’t afford their medication - represents everything Banting fought against. This isn’t just a policy problem; it’s a betrayal of medical ethics.
Key Findings
Between 2002 and 2013, insulin prices in the United States tripled, with some formulations reaching $300 per vial by 2016. Americans with diabetes now pay 10 times more for insulin than patients in other developed countries. One in four Americans with diabetes admits to rationing their insulin due to cost, leading to preventable hospitalizations and deaths. Meanwhile, the same insulin formulations remain affordable and accessible across Europe, Canada, and much of the developing world.
The pricing crisis stems from a complex web of patent manipulation, regulatory barriers, and middleman markups that have transformed insulin from a generic medication into a luxury pharmaceutical product.
Brief Summary
This analysis examines how insulin evolved from Frederick Banting’s $1 gift to humanity into one of America’s most expensive medications. Despite being discovered nearly a century ago, insulin remains under patent protection through “evergreening” strategies that make minor modifications to extend exclusivity. The study reveals that while insulin costs pennies to manufacture, American patients pay hundreds of dollars monthly, creating a two-tiered system where access depends on wealth rather than medical need.
Study Design
This comprehensive review analyzed insulin pricing trends, patent strategies, and access patterns across different healthcare systems. Researchers examined price data from 2002-2016, surveyed patient rationing behaviors, and compared international pricing structures. The analysis included regulatory documents, pharmaceutical company financial reports, and patient outcome data to understand how insulin became unaffordable despite its century-old discovery.
Results You Can Use
The research reveals that insulin’s high cost in America results from systemic manipulation rather than genuine innovation or manufacturing expenses. Three companies control 90% of the global insulin market, using patent evergreening to prevent generic competition. Pharmacy benefit managers add additional markups, while insurance companies shift costs to patients through high deductibles and copays. The result is a system where insulin costs $35 in other countries but $300 in America.
Why This Matters For Health And Performance
Insulin pricing directly impacts survival for the 1.6 million Americans with type 1 diabetes and millions more with insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes. When patients ration insulin, they risk diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening condition that can cause coma and death within hours. The stress of choosing between insulin and other necessities also worsens diabetes management, leading to long-term complications like blindness, kidney failure, and amputations.
How to Apply These Findings in Daily Life
- Advocate for insulin price transparency and regulation
- Support legislation capping insulin copays and out-of-pocket costs
- Learn about patient assistance programs if you need insulin
- Consider insulin access when evaluating health insurance plans
- Support organizations working to improve diabetes medication access
- Contact representatives about pharmaceutical pricing reform
- Understand your rights regarding prescription drug pricing
Limitations To Keep In Mind
This analysis focuses primarily on the American healthcare system and may not reflect global insulin access challenges. The study period predates recent legislative efforts to cap insulin costs, including Medicare’s $35 monthly limit. Additionally, the research doesn’t fully address the complexity of diabetes management beyond insulin access, including the need for glucose monitoring supplies, other medications, and comprehensive care.
Related Studies
- The Internal Secretion of the Pancreas
- 100 Years of Insulin: Why Is It So Expensive?
- Expenditures and Prices of Diabetes Medications 2002-2013
- Frederick Banting: Discoverer of Insulin
- Episode 24: The Discovery of Insulin
FAQs
Why is insulin so expensive if it was discovered 100 years ago?
Pharmaceutical companies use “evergreening” strategies, making minor modifications to insulin formulations to extend patent protection and prevent generic competition. This keeps prices artificially high despite the medication’s century-old discovery.
What should I do if I can’t afford my insulin?
Never ration insulin, as this can be life-threatening. Contact your doctor immediately, explore patient assistance programs, consider switching to older, less expensive insulin formulations, and investigate state programs that cap insulin costs.
How do other countries keep insulin affordable?
Most developed countries negotiate drug prices nationally, regulate pharmaceutical profits, and treat insulin as an essential medication rather than a luxury commodity. This results in prices 10 times lower than American costs.
Conclusion
The transformation of insulin from Banting’s $1 gift to humanity into a luxury medication represents a fundamental failure of American healthcare priorities. Until we restore insulin’s accessibility, we betray both the discoverer’s vision and our obligation to ensure that life-saving medications serve patients rather than profits. The question isn’t whether we can afford to make insulin accessible - it’s whether we can afford not to.
