T1International is pleased to introduce a new advocacy resource, the U.S. Legislative Guide for insulin for all: How States Can Make Medicines Affordable. The resource, developed in partnership with Public Citizen, outlines a variety of legislation that could help to make insulin more accessible and affordable. Read more
In March of this year, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh provided evidence that the net price of insulin medicines in the United States had also soared – by 51% between 2008-2017. This indicates that while other intermediaries had benefited from list price increases, the manufacturers had too. This may seem obvious, but having data to prove it is important. Read more
After months of diligent advocacy, partisan gridlock, and intense negotiations, the Alec Smith Emergency Insulin Bill was signed into law today in Minnesota. Alec’s Bill is named for 26-year-old Alec Smith, who passed away after rationing his insulin in 2017. The legislation, which is the first of its kind in the nation, establishes a program for patients with diabetes to purchase the insulin they need at an affordable price. To get to this moment, advocates in Minnesota endured a tough - and long - fight. Read more
The best way for insulin manufacturers to demonstrate their commitment to patient health would be for them to permanently lower their list price, which would make low-cost insulin easier to acquire and apply to every patient who needs it. Read more
In 1990, when I was 6 years old, I was diagnosed with insulin dependent type 1 diabetes. In 1996, I could purchase 1 vial of insulin for about $20 without insurance. Today, a vial of the same insulin that I have taken for 24 years costs somewhere between $250 and $400 in the United States1. There is no logical or scientific reason for this. To put things in perspective, in Canada, the same insulin costs about 1/10th of the price. Read more
Some of the most important advocacy often happens in the shadows – in small meeting rooms, online, in the hours of pouring over legislation and building factsheets and bringing together a community fighting for change. Those efforts, full of blood sweat and tears, are paying off, even if it is not obvious. However, sometimes those efforts result in a chance to represent your community in a significant and public way. We are thrilled that so many advocates impacted by type 1 diabetes were invited to the 2020 State of the Union. Two of those advocates share their perspectives here. Read more
As the celebration of Black History Month is underway in the United States, T1International is launching its Communities of Color campaign. This campaign aims to highlight the need for better representation and genuine inclusion of people of color (PoC) within the diabetes community and to encourage participation and inclusion of PoC in the #insulin4all movement fighting for access to affordable insulin and diabetes care. Read more
Having type 2 diabetes comes with a lot of misconceptions. People think that the disease always comes down to "lifestyle choices" like overeating sugar, or being obese. But for a person like me, genetics plays a factor. For others, insulin resistance is an inevitability. People living with type 2 diabetes are often told they've done it to themselves, and take on a lot of misplaced blame for an illness we didn't ask for -- that no one asks for.
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The goal of T1International, despite being an organization predominantly advocating for patients with type 1 diabetes and having “T1” in its name, is to help all people with diabetes gain access to the medication and supplies they need to survive. When it comes down to it, does it really matter which type of diabetes one lives with? Are those without type 1 diabetes less worthy of help? Read more
We have had a truly incredible year. Unprecedented growth is the only way to put it. The global insulin crisis continues, but the momentum to counter this crisis is growing, thanks to patients around the world standing up and fighting for their right to health. Below, we share a summary of our highlights and biggest achievements, thanks to your donations, your advocacy, and your dedication to ensuring #insulin4all becomes a reality. Read more