Yes, but please look more closely and you'll see that it's not actually the manufacturers who are marking it up so much. The whole US system that allows it to happen is what's to blame. Presumably this bill is an attempt to improve the system, but if it's specific to one disease/treatment then it's kinda missing the point. A regulated and controlled medical service is to the benefit of everybody, but they keep voting for leaders that are adamant that the current mess must not be changed.

Not even that: the researchers who developed insulin ***donated the patent*** to the University of Toronto (where they did their research) for $1 each. For the US pharma companies, this is just profit-taking.

Doofnuts, you've just stated the reason insulin is so expensive in the USA. Pure avarice and nothing more.

The development costs of the initial formulation of insulin was almost zero. The d**g was developed privately, tested, and released to the public. The patent was then sold to the Univ. of Toronto for $1. However, the pharmaceutical companies are tweaking the formulation, putting the new d**g under a patent, and charging 30-50x the cost of the original. The new d**g is somewhat better but not 30x better. Doctors and insurance companies are going for newer-is-better so the patients lose out.

its free in my country, so im pretty sure its a US problem, i feel sad

As long as the majority of people continue to elect conservatives who only care for the rich getting richer, this will never change.

I read somewhere that the inventor of insulin didn't patent it so he got nothing because he just wanted to help people. It's the d**g companies greed that drives the pricing since it costs from $2.00 to $4.00 a vial to make. And they didn't do the research except maybe how much the market could pay.

There was no development cost. The inventor of insulin donated the patient to the University of Chicago (if I recall correctly) at the price of one dollar, to ensure if would be available to everyone. The only cost involved is in its basic production and distribution.

The man who discovered insulin wanted it to be free.

Look at global prices.

Greedy d**g companies making money off of sick people. Shame on them.

There is no reason other than greed for many things to cost what they do. Furthermore, big pharma regularly discontinues d***s that work in favor of generics that don't work well or sometimes don't work at all. I'm in need of one right now that Wyeth Labs discontinued about 20 years ago. Another lab came out with a replacement but I can't find anyone that can get it anymore, so I guess it's discontinued as well.

Other countries pay much less than the USA because we subsidize them. Companies are recouping their costs on the backs of American, yes. Other countries need to pay their fair share , as well.

Texas, believe it or not. I used to live in Austin and I remember when he did this. He's one of the rare good ones.

The States are passing price caps, this is not federal government legislation. Iowa has capped the cost at $35 a month. What this means is that in Iowa accompany can sell insulin for only $35, but if the state next-door has no such law they could charge you $4000 for it if they wanted. These prices are not driven by expense of production, they are deiven by supply and demand. The d**g companies have the supply, and people who are going to die without it have the demand. The cost goes up in that situation. If your state is not capping the cost of insulin, you should lobby your lawmakers for it.