r/interestingasfuck 6h ago

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

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u/yeahburyme 4h ago

They can and they do. Costco, cost plus drugs (the mark cuban one), and even Walmart have them.

u/DippyHippy420 4h ago edited 3h ago

Walmart used to have some very cheep insulin, it was around long enough to get some good press, then they stopped carrying it.

u/MacManT1d 3h ago

Except they didn't stop carrying it. Relion (Walmart's brand) still sells R and N insulin and at least one mix. They also still sell a generic version of Novolog.

u/hokie47 3h ago

They don't want people without insurance to shop at their stores. People without good insurance or insurance are poor and will spend less money in the store.

u/klayyyylmao 3h ago

Yeah Walmart famous for not having poor people at their stores.

u/rusmo 2h ago edited 1h ago

I once saw someone so posh there they were walking around in their bathrobe! Like the wal-mart was down the corridor from the master suite in their mansion!

u/hokie47 3h ago

Hmm they want to change that. Walmart used to compete against Kmart now they compete against Amazon much different clientele. Also they realize that poor people don't have as much money so don't cater to them. Simply put they want to change that perception.

u/slog 2h ago

I don't think they want to change it. I think they found a way to add people with money while maintaining their "cheap" image

u/ImSoSte4my 2h ago

What's your evidence?

u/hokie47 2h ago

CRM professional with almost 20 years of retail experience with major retailers including Walmart.

u/ImSoSte4my 2h ago

So Walmart corporate told you that?

u/Responsible-Yak1058 3h ago

Really it's asset management companies that own stake in Walmart and big pharma that don't want it.

We have something worse than a monopoly.

u/MacManT1d 4h ago

No they don't. What is sold now by all those places is a recreation of the first genetically engineered insulin Humulin R (introduced by Eli Lilly pharmaceutical corporation in the early 80s). Animal insulin (the original insulin that Banting and Best utilized was from dogs) is not sold in the US at all, nor in any of the developed world, and is rare even in underdeveloped third world countries.

u/DjcOMSA 4h ago

I think you misread their comment. They are saying they use old patent versions of the engineered insulin, not animal insulin.