Insulin price spike leaves diabetes patients in crisis

[steve2470]

http://mtstandard.com/news/local/insulin-price-spike-leaves-diabetes-patients-in-crisis/article_74cd6b23-7d9d-5f36-9df0-9c72c5de9f1a.html

A massive spike in insulin prices is causing a health crisis for millions of diabetes patients who depend on the lifesaving drug, doctors say.

Now, after years of rapid increases having nothing to do with available supply and not matched elsewhere in the world, those in the U.S. insulin supply chain are blaming each other.

Tens of thousands of medical professionals are engaged in an intricate therapeutic ballet performed to protect the health, limbs, and lives of the almost 30 million people in the U.S. suffering from diabetes.

But their efforts have been dramatically complicated by the soaring increase in the cost of insulin. They find themselves balancing the cost of the essential medication and their patients' ability to pay.

[meow2u3]

1. It's just nothing but criminal price gouging

Pharma companies have become so greedy that they've turned a blind eye to the needless suffering of many and even deaths that could have been prevented if it weren't for the soulless greed of pharma execs.
Such price gouging of medications required for mere survival amounts to murder IMHO, or at least manslaughter on a grand scale, the corporate veil ought to be pierced, and those responsible for unconscionable price hikes on life-saving medications should be brought up on criminal homicide and/or endangerment charges.

[Hekate]

6. Criminal is the right word for it

[Pakid]

12. It's simple

as long as the GOP controls the House and the Senate they know they can give them a little cash and get away with anything they want. Pay to play is the rule of GOP land

[Mika]

2. Economic/pharmaceutical terrorism. Period. eom

[PoliticalMalcontent]

3. Perhaps a natural cycle of capitalism run amok.

In a society where 'greed is good' it makes sense that the already-rich keep on taking until it hurts.

[ReRe]

4. Well...

... that's capitalism for ya. We need to socialize the pharmaceutical industry, along with the health care industry. And that is just what they are: greedy capitalistic industries.

Not only is greed not good, it's evil.

[Egnever]

5. It is ridiculous what is going on with drug prices but

This article is written by someone who knows next to nothing about diabetes.

Was very difficult to read.

[ancianita]

7. So which congress critters have investments/donors in these companies. No more civil obedience.

[Gman]

8. But this they say it's all about increasing shareholder wealth

This is friggin' sociopathic sick. THIS is an example to f what must change. You Beenie supporters need to stay in the game after this election and on through off year election in 2018. As does everyone else.

[McKim]

9. This Makes Me Sick!

As the daughter of a diabetic who was one of the earliest people to take insulin in the 1920s, and whose family struggled to buy it for her during The Great Depression, I am so very angry. I will never forget the economic relief we got in the 50's when employers started offering health insurance through ones work. My foundry worker dad who finished the fifth grade has struggled so with medical bills before that. Now we are sliding back into the 19th Century in terms of compassion and health care. A curse on these companies and their shameless shareholders.

[jtuck004]

10. Lack of single payer heath care leaves all patients in crisis. n/t

[mythology]

16. You do realize that there are very few single payer countries in the world right?

There are multiple paths that would have positive outcomes. Single payer is the least likely to happen. The Netherlands has a system that is similar in many fashions to the ACA and they have one of the best rated health care systems in the world.

[allan01]

11. quit messing with our lives you so and sos

my late moms granfahter also was a early end user of insulin, greedy so and sos.

[Stellar]

13. Oh my gosh, what the Hell is going on...

I'm on pills but it's still a damned shame!

[GeorgeGist]

14. Still no cure for ...

sociopathy.

[Scalded Nun]

15. The defenders would tell you that this is another capitalism success story

This is what you get when the market gets to determine who lives and dies. You know...Capitalistic death panels.

This is what you get when you live in a country with no single payer health insurance.

This is what you get when those in charge of running the country care more about their own interests that those of their constituents.

This is what you get when constituents do not care enough to cast an informed vote.

This is what you get when greed runs amok.

This is what we all get as Americans.

If We (the people of this country) do not do something (at the ballot box) to force change then this is what we can expect to live with.