Why are people with diabetes being hit so hard by covid-19?
Type one diabetes requires insulin injections, finger sticks, testing, and exercise to be managed properly. However, when covid-19 hit, it took an incredible toll on type one diabetics. Getting outside to get exercise and improve their health became more of a risk as Covid cases rose; 30 percent of all Covid deaths had a form of Diabetes. Due to the Coronavirus, diabetics could not get outside and exercise (this is necessary in order to regulate their numbers of circulation). Lack of exercise caused numbers to go out of control and therefore much harder to manage. So when it came to Diabetics remaining healthy, they came to a crossroad. The choice was either to risk their life getting the proper exercise or to risk their life contracting Covid. Not being able to exercise and regulate blood sugar numbers, can cause serious complications such as kidney failure, blindness, the loss of limbs, and much more. However, with so many Covid-19 deaths being linked to Diabetes, the fear of retracting the disease more often than not has overruled going outside to exercise.
How the Pandemic Affected the Price of Insulin
The price of insulin before April 13 ,2020 was extremely expensive. One vial of humalog could cost an upwards of 300 dollars. However, Covid-19 drastically improved the price of insulin. Eli Lilly dropped to an incredible 35 dollars. To people who do not have health insurance, this was a life saving improvement in the insulin market, “Too many people in the US have lost their jobs because of the COVID-19 crisis, and we want to make sure no one goes without their Lilly insulin,”- Mike manson the president of Lilly Diabetes. This was a huge development in the insulin market because the price of insulin has only ever risen, often forcing people to ration their insulin. This improvement in the insulin market most likely saved many lives in a time of such uncertainty.
How is Our Healthcare System Keeping Up?
When it comes to America’s healthcare system and type one Diabetes, prices tend to be very high. Before covid-19 broke out, a vile on insulin cost upward of 300 dollars. However when covid hit Eli lilly was the first company to lower the price of insulin with others soon following. The price was lowered to a 35 dollar co-pay per vile. Which caused a drastic change in the insulin market. The price of insulin raised from 21 dollars in 1996 to 300 in 2019 with no change in the demand or need for the drug. The drug price increased because there is not much competition in the insulin market and U.S laws allow pharmaceutical companies to set their own prices on drugs.
How Other Health Care systems are Dealing with Covid and Diabetes
When looking at the big picture, the United states is very fortunate to have the technology and resources available to help Diabetics manage and fight their disease while fighting Covid. On the other hand, third world countries have a much harder time getting the resources needed. For example, in Africa, one in five Covid-19 deaths are linked to Diabetes. Along the lines of Diabetes, the amount of people affected by type 2 diabetes in the African region has drastically risen. They have experienced a six fold increase from four million cases in 1980 to 25 million in 2014. With an estimated 60% of people living with the disease undiagnosed not knowing their status. Another study in Kenya found that 60% of all diagnosed diabetics did not receive medication.“Far too many people are in the dark as to whether they have diabetes. People with this chronic condition suffer a double blow if they are also infected with COVID-19,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “We must turn this around by investing in early detection, prevention and treatment of diabetes.”
Sources
https://pharmanewsintel.com/news/covid-19-spurs-eli-lilly-to-drop-insulin-costs-to-35-a-month#:~:text=April%2013%2C%202020%20%2D%20Eli%20Lilly,during%20the%20COVID%2D19%20pandemic.
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