News & Statements
T1International Launches 100 Years: From Gift to Greed Campaign
17 May 2021, 11:04 a.m. in News & Statements by T1International
On Monday, May 17th - 100 years after Banting, Best and Macleod begin their first experiment trying to extract insulin in Toronto - T1International and its advocates around the world launch their year-long campaign. 100 Years: From Gift to Greed will tell the story of insulin’s discovery and how it went from being a gift to the world to a profit machine for the pharmaceutical industry. The campaign will be led by a combination of social media education and a variety of actions. Read more
T1International and Partners Statement on Victory in Emergency Insulin Case
17 Mar 2021, 5:50 p.m. in News & Statements by T1International
We know this battle might not be over, but it’s clearer than ever that the protection the Alec Smith Act offers to patients who are being exploited by Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Sanofi must be a primary concern for the courts going forward. Read more
T1International Statement on Freeze of Executive Actions
28 Jan 2021, 9:50 a.m. in #insulin4all USA, News & Statements by T1International
On January 20, President Biden issued a freeze on all new regulations that former President Trump had not finished implementing so his administration would have a chance to evaluate them and decide whether they should go into effect. These freezes are standard practice for a new administration taking over for a president of the opposite party; President Trump implemented a similar freeze on his first day in office in 2017. Read more
T1International Year in Review: 2020
22 Jan 2021, 3:24 p.m. in #insulin4all USA, News & Statements by T1International
What a year we had as a community and as an organization in 2020. There were many global challenges, as always, and COVID-19 had huge impacts across the world. Below is a taste of what, thanks to our advocates and supporters, we achieved. Read more
T1International Statement on Appointments by President-elect Biden
9 Dec 2020, 5:05 p.m. in #insulin4all USA, News & Statements by T1International
On November 16, it was first reported that President-elect Biden will appoint Steve Ricchetti as one of his counselors in the White House. We are disappointed that the President-elect would choose a former lobbyist for Eli Lilly and Sanofi to serve in such a senior post in his administration. Read more
T1International, Minnesota #insulin4all, and Partners Submit Amicus Brief for Alec Smith Bill
6 Nov 2020, 8:22 p.m. in #insulin4all USA, News & Statements by T1International
There is an insulin rationing crisis in the United States, driven by the high price of this life-saving medication. Research indicates that one-quarter of people with diabetes have to ration their insulin because of the cost, and rationing puts patients at greater risk of health complications, including death. In Minnesota, advocates responded to the deaths of Alec Raeshawn Smith and Jesimya David Scherer-Radcliff by fighting to pass the Alec Smith Insulin Affordability Act, which was the first in the nation to establish a program for patients with diabetes to purchase the insulin they need at an affordable price. After years of work, this bill was signed into law by Governor Tim Walz on April 15, 2020. Read more
There Is No Insulin in Iran
27 Oct 2020, 6:11 p.m. in Global Stories, News & Statements by Mahsa
Shortages of insulin are not something new in Iran, but recently there is no insulin at all. We were shocked by responses from our politicians who said, "The shortage is just for pens and we have plenty of internal production of insulin. People can replace it." However, the types of insulin that are produced in Iran are NPH and R. Few consumers in Iran use NPH. About 70 percent of Iranian people with diabetes use insulin pens. Read more
T1International Statement on Lawsuit to Overturn the Affordable Care Act
20 Oct 2020, 8:24 p.m. in #insulin4all USA, News & Statements by T1International
On November 10, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in California v. Texas, a case that could invalidate the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Since it was signed into law in 2010, the ACA has provided critical protections to the diabetes community in the United States. Now, a group of 18 states led by Texas are arguing that a single change to the law passed as part of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has rendered the entire law unconstitutional, even though there is no evidence that this was an outcome Congress intended at the time. If the Supreme Court rules in favor of Texas, the entire ACA could be ruled unconstitutional. Read more
James Elliott's Reflections on His Time as a Trustee
8 Oct 2020, 3:21 p.m. in News & Statements by James Elliott
T1International would not be where it is today without his dedication and commitment to the cause. We could not be more grateful for his contributions and his voice, which we know he will continue to use to shout loudly for and with people with diabetes everywhere. Read more
T1International Statement on Executive Orders
14 Sep 2020, 5:04 p.m. in #insulin4all USA, News & Statements by T1International
On Friday afternoon, President Trump released four executive orders intended to lower drug prices, including two targeted directly at lowering the cost of insulin for patients who rely on it. Despite his assertion that these orders are intended to “completely restructure the prescription drug market,” these orders will not do anything to fix the underlying cause of the insulin crisis in America. Patients will still need to wait months for the rulemaking process to run its course, and likely even longer after that if these orders end up in court. While T1International USA is glad that the administration has stated that making insulin more affordable is a priority, these orders miss the mark. We don’t need incremental bureaucratic steps as an election approaches - we need transformative change that will make our medicine more affordable now. Read more