Injecting yourself with dog insulin? Just a normal day in America

[Soph0571]

The article is a standard “triumph over adversity” piece until it casually notes in the 17th paragraph: “Williams doesn’t have medical insurance and cannot afford the treatment. So he buys insulin that’s sold for dogs at Walmart for $24.99 per bottle.”

It accepts without comment that insulin costs up to $470 a bottle and that Williams considers himself “super lucky” that somebody told him he could use the cheaper, animal-grade substitute. Super lucky?
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Media often invites us to be inspired by the actions of ordinary Americans persevering through tough (and wholly unnecessary) healthcare crises. For instance, children setting up lemonade stands in the hopes of paying for their baby brother’s medical treatment, their mother’s kidney transplant or their own chemotherapy. Or how about selling your beloved car to pay for your wife’s cancer?

These sorts of behaviors are largely unknown in developed countries outside the US, as all employ some form of universal healthcare plan. Drug prices are kept under control by other governments so no one is forced to risk their lives with animal-grade medicine

[link:https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/aug/01/us-healthcare-insulin-diabetes-jordan-williams|

But....but....socialism...*rolls eyes*

[TreasonousBastard]

1. Interesting. I'm diabetic and get my insulin from the VA for...

a small copay, so I'm insulated from the price hikes. For now, anyway.

But the idea of using pet meds is intriguing. Years ago I had some dealings with Schering-Plough's veterinary unit, so when I had a chance I asked on of the bigshots why cat meds tasted so horrible. He answered simply that they were made on pretty much parallel lines as the human meds. and it would cost too much to change the formula. The difference was that they went through a much less rigorous regulatory process, but were essentially the same as the human stuff.

Dunno who makes the stuff at Walmart, and have my doubts about just how pure it is, but insulin is life or death, and if there was no other way, I'd go for it.

Helluva way to live, innit?

[Afromania]

2. I had a cat that had high blood pressure. Interestingly he was given the same brand

Last edited Fri Aug 2, 2019, 12:51 PM - Edit history (1)

of pill one of my relatives was taking. It's was in a far smaller dose but otherwise it was exactly the same.. and stupidly expensive.

[mzmolly]

3. What's now dog insulin, was used in humans for decades. It's now generic which helps control cost.

But newer insulin is more predictable and many doctors don't suggest alternatives when patients can't afford prescribed insulin.

I often think diabetics should boycott newer insulin and go 'dog insulin' en masse, until prices are lowered. It's criminal what drug companies are getting away with. Lives are being lost.