I need insulin to live. I am not sure how long I would survive without it, it's a game Type 1 diabetics sometimes play. We wonder who will be around the longest when the apocalypse hits. Some say a few days, some a few weeks - who knows? I honestly don't think about it until someone asks the question again on Reddit.
Recently, Eli Lilly announced "manufacturing delays" on their vials of short-acting insulin. They also announced they are ramping up production of their injectable weight loss drugs (they make Wegovy which is similar to the more popular brand, Ozempic). From what I could find with some light googling, both are manufactured at one of their locations in NC.
The Biden Administration recently put caps on insulin prices to curb the price gouging that was happening previously so insulin isn't as profitable as it once was. Depending on the manufacturer, insulin costs $6-$10 per vial to produce and the inventor, Frederick Banting, sold the patent for a mere $1 because he didn't want cost to be a barrier for people living with Type 1 diabetes. Somehow, vials were retailing up to $1000 apiece. With insurance, mine was $210 for a 3-month supply which isn't too bad. We just started a new calendar year for insurance on 4/1/24 so I'll find out soon what the new cost is. Since I use pens I don't anticipate any issues.
However, some people are already having trouble getting their prescriptions filled. Their endocrinologists could switch them to a different brand however Novo Nordisk has also reported shortages. And, different brands of insulin can work differently.
This is a little scary.
Since profits rule in the United States I can't help but wonder if the ramp-up of the more profitable, injectible weight loss drugs is behind the 'manufacturing delays'. The optimist in me wants to believe there is a valid reason for what's going on but, if there is one, why didn't Eli Lilly mention it in their announcement?
Ozempic retails for $935.77/dose with a manufacturing cost of around $22. You can get Ozempic in Germany for $59.
What do you think? Is there a connection? If not, I'll happily update this post.
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