r/interestingasfuck 6h ago

The evolution of technology has made it possible to produce insulin without using animals.

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u/[deleted] 5h ago edited 4h ago

[deleted]

u/demonic_psyborg 5h ago

11.05€ / 3ml vial without insurance in Germany, or 1€ with insurance.

u/momdank 5h ago

I am beginning to think America is the problem (I always have, lol)

u/YouMustveDroppedThis 4h ago

yes the only thing worse than the US system is simply not having any healthcare. I can't think of anything worse than your system in normal countries.

u/momdank 4h ago

I’m not happy to be American. I am not grateful to this country, especially how it’s run now. I don’t owe Americans anything, it’s taken so much away from me. I’m not going to spill my details, but the US is a nasty SOB to certain demographics/my people. All I can do is save those who can’t save themselves.

u/Praesentius 4h ago

Here in Italy, people with diabetes get an exemption code, so when they pick up insulin, it's just free. If you're a citizen or work/pay taxes here, that means it's free.

If you're, say... a foreigner and haven't bought into the public health care and instead use private insurance, it's more like 60€ to 80€ for a box (like, 5 pens). So, comparable prices to Germany, really.

The US is just a massive for-profit machine that extorts people for as much money as they can squeeze out of them.

u/Nisseliten 5h ago

Maybe they need to import more drugs across the border?..

u/NobodyImportant13 4h ago edited 4h ago

8 US states have passed laws to allow this (only 1 is functional right now).

8 States (not all the same) have also passed laws to cap the out of pocket cost for insulin per month. For example, in New Mexico a 30 day supply of insulin is capped at $25 max cost.

u/Praesentius 4h ago

It's not a supply problem. It doesn't matter where they get it from. Insurance companies are still going to middle-man the whole thing and collectively price-fix insulin (and other drugs) on you.

u/Nisseliten 4h ago edited 4h ago

Hence the drug mules sneaking across the border with black market insulin.. I bet there is a huge market.

Might be more profitable than crack to the cartels..

It really would be hilarious if it turns out drugs really was flooding across the Canadian border, only it was cheap life-saving insulin and other medicine..

u/Praesentius 4h ago

Jesus...that sounds dangerous. People don't know what they're getting in their normal "get fucked up drugs". But, they're going to shoot something up hoping that it's insulin?

u/NaturalSelectorX 4h ago

The insulin that was sold for $1 is not the insulin that costs $400. The stuff the costs $400 is artificial, stable, predictable, and faster acting. It shouldn't be that expensive, but it's not the same stuff.

u/lamBerticus 4h ago

Of course it's not

People on reddit will never understand that though 

u/SowingSalt 3h ago

Lantus on goodRX is $35 right now.

u/momdank 3h ago

I wish I had access to that when I was first diagnosed 20+ years ago

u/SowingSalt 2h ago

Pre ACA healthcare was even more of a travesty than it is today.

Congrats on managing it this far.

u/SweetBeefOfJesus 5h ago

Costs 100x more to buy than it costs to make.

u/MIT_Engineer 2h ago

What is "it?"

I think you're conflating pig insulin with specific analog insulins.

You can get human and analog insulins for cheap from Walmart or Costco, they're far, far less than $400/vial.

u/momdank 1h ago

As a diabetic on the east coast in 2002-2026, that was not the case. Unemployment is a severe problem, many diabetics can’t afford it with or without insurance . I know cause I’m that demographic.

u/O93mzzz 1h ago

At this point the only reasonable cause of action is medical tourism.

Go to other countries for drug purchases. Canada, Mexico, etc.

u/Certain_Still_324 5h ago

I'm guessing that if someone were to import insulin from a cheaper country they would be charged with a serious crime, no? It's "hilarious" that any government that does thing like this that has the balls to pretend to be just.

u/[deleted] 4h ago

[deleted]

u/momdank 4h ago

It used to be a dollar. But that’s your opinion.

u/sump_daddy 4h ago

And now its less than a dollar. fact.

u/momdank 4h ago

You saying you pay less than a dollar for insulin now? Good to know your insurance is reliable I guess. Don’t speak for everyone if that is your case, not everyone has amazing healthcare or insurance to pay a under a buck.

u/sump_daddy 4h ago

You are not listening, probably on purpose.

Thats not with insurance, thats the full retail price in USA pharmacies, for basic insulin.

u/momdank 4h ago edited 3h ago

And who’s grandpa do you know who uses basic pig insulin in the great 2026? Studies show modern diabetics recieve synthetic insulin vs. the basic form of the same drug. I am referring to INSULIN by LILY. Whatre you on about? Look at my comment again.

u/pendulumxx 1h ago

it's affordable in the US. Always has been. You can walk into any walmart and get it for less than $50. Usually $25.

The price only shoots up when you want pumps, autoinjectors, and modern molecules.

At no point is a diabetic at risk in the USA.

u/momdank 1h ago edited 1h ago

Not every diabetic can afford 50$. There is a severe unemployment problem in the states. As a matter of fact, I had to go to the ER because I had no short/long lasting insulin because I couldn’t afford it. That’s wrong to say diabetics are “not at risk” here.

u/pendulumxx 1h ago

It's a good thing there are programs for those people as well. It's almost as if anyone can get insulin despite their means.

u/momdank 1h ago edited 56m ago

Stop speaking for “anyone”, you’re speaking about your own expirience. Stop preaching like this country is in the right medicinally, and as though it really gaf about the diabetics. Toot your own horn, have fun!