One Hundred Years of Insulin Therapy: From Miracle to Crisis

How Has Insulin Therapy Evolved Over Its First Century?

One hundred years of insulin therapy reveals a remarkable paradox: while the medication has evolved from crude pancreatic extracts to sophisticated engineered proteins with improved safety and convenience, it has simultaneously transformed from an affordable necessity accessible to all patients into an expensive commodity that forces many to ration life-saving treatment. This century-long journey encompasses extraordinary scientific achievement alongside troubling healthcare policy failures.

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The Complete History of Insulin: From Discovery to Modern Crisis

How Did Insulin Evolve from a Laboratory Extract to Modern Life-Saving Therapy?

Insulin’s history spans over 130 years, beginning with the 1889 discovery that pancreatic removal caused diabetes and culminating in today’s sophisticated insulin analogs and delivery systems. This journey encompasses groundbreaking scientific discoveries, manufacturing innovations, regulatory developments, and unfortunately, a modern pricing crisis that has made this life-saving medication inaccessible to many who need it most.

Dr. Kumar’s Take

Insulin’s history represents both the best and worst of medical progress. The scientific journey from understanding diabetes to developing life-saving therapy showcases human ingenuity and collaboration at its finest. However, the transformation of insulin from an affordable medication into a luxury commodity represents a betrayal of the discoverers’ vision and a failure of our healthcare system. Understanding this complete history helps us appreciate both the remarkable scientific achievement and the urgent need to restore insulin’s accessibility.

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