My understanding is that there are insulin analogs that are vastly better treatments, due to being faster acting. These analogs are still patented.
However, even considering the patents, insulin prices for the same product are much higher in the USA than in Mexico or Canada. American prices have increased by an order of magnitude. [1]
IMO this rampant price gouging can only be explained by the pharmaceutical lobby, and a political apparatus addicted to their money.
It sounds like the solution should be that patients can opt for cheaper, worse treatments, if they do not like that the more recent treatments are also more expensive.
Why? Why should people have to pay inflated prices for treatments that have been standard since the 90s?
Edit: just to be clear, the price of Humalog, a patented analog, has increased in price by 700% in the last 20 years. This is not simply a case of newer treatments being more expensive.
However, even considering the patents, insulin prices for the same product are much higher in the USA than in Mexico or Canada. American prices have increased by an order of magnitude. [1]
IMO this rampant price gouging can only be explained by the pharmaceutical lobby, and a political apparatus addicted to their money.
[1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/10/31/why-i...