PHM-Exch> global snapshot of the price of insulin

[Claudio Schuftan]

>From Marg Ewen <Marg at haiweb.org>


>  The results of the recent one-day snapshot of the price of soluble
> human insulin world wide (60 countries) are now available.
>
> You can access the map showing all the prices on HAIs website - see
> http://www.haiweb.org/medicineprices/
>
> This snapshot has shown an alarming situation for people with diabetes. For
> millions across the world, insulin is simply not affordable. Government need
> to act to change this situation. We hope this quick snapshot will help start
> discussions in your country on how to make insulin affordable for all people
> who need this essential life-saving medicine.
>


The price a patient would pay for a 10ml vial of soluble human insulin in
the private sector ranged from US$1.55 in Iran to US$76.69 in Austria - a
difference of almost 5000%. Charts showing prices in all 60 countries are
available on HAI‘s website.

there was little difference between the average price for a 10ml vial of
soluble human insulin produced by Eli Lilly (about US$24 a vial) and Novo
Nordisk (about US$21 a vial). However, insulin produced by other
manufacturers was lower priced at about US$13 a vial but found in fewer
countries. Price variations were seen across the world. Eli Lilly insulin
varied from US$2.57 in Egypt to US$76.69 in Austria; Novo Nordisk from
US$2.97 in Senegal to US$61.32 in the USA – with the prices in some low
income countries being similar or greater than the prices in some high
income countries.

An analysis of insulin affordability at the family level shows an alarming
picture. A family living on US$1 a day in a least developed or low-income
country would need to spend about one quarter to one half of their monthly
income to buy 1 vial of insulin from a private pharmacy. Clearly, in this
situation, insulin is unaffordablevii. In a middle-income country, even on
an income of US$2 a day about one third to one half of a monthly income is
needed to buy 1 vial of Novo Nordisk or Eli Lilly insulin. Addition costs
such as syringes, needles and glucose monitoring tests push costs even
higher, making access to continuous treatment beyond the reach of millions
of people with diabetes.

>
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