Newspaper Denounces Constant Rise of Price of Insulin in US

The history of insulin show one of the baffling complexities of the US pharmaceutical market, being a long-lasting drug that becomes more expensive over time, noted today the Washington Post.

The newspaper recalled that 75 years ago the original patent of that drug expired, but instead of lowering prices, three companies made improvements to generate new patents and profits, in order to obtain a family of modern insulins by billions of dollars.

According to the publication, companies talk of improvement in their products, but medical experts say that some of these changes are only a strategy to maintain high costs and question its influence on a real improvement in the health of patients.

The latest generation of 'ultra-long action' insulin, in particular, has generated a debate about whether the latest versions really worth the price to pay for them.

Amid this scenario, the Post noted that the nation faces an epidemic of diabetes, with about six million adults dependent on the drug to their daily lives.