Insulin Sales Online

5 Reasons Why You May Soon Be Able To Buy Insulin Online

5 reasons why you may soon be able to buy insulin online Editor's Note: The following is a guest post submitted by Scott Allison, president of Life Sciences & Healthcare at DHL. All signs point to disruption of the life sciences and healthcare market, with e-commerce coming into its own in the sector. The push for online pharmaceuticals is underway, with multi-billion dollar e-commerce markets opening up as you read this. Very soon, patients around the world will have a genuine alternative to receiving drugs direct from their prescribing doctor and having to wait in line to fill prescriptions at their local pharmacy. Alongside these traditional channels, a burgeoning trend in life sciences and healthcare e-commerce means patients are starting to receive insulin along with many other life-saving pharmaceuticals right to their doorsteps. Why now? Firstly, consumers are changing and transactions are becoming increasingly digitized. This drives the demand for e-commerce solutions, with consumers ordering and receiving products at home. Physical barriers to life sciences and healthcare e-commerce are also being removed. We are able to deliver essential temperature control and sensitive product monitoring throughout the end-to-end supply chain. Added to this, logistics companies have achieved both cost efficiency and sophistication in serving the so-called "last mile"of delivery the final part of the journey required to ensure an item is safely and securely handed over to the right person. Today, I believe there are five key drivers for the intense growth of life sciences and healthcare ecommerce, all working together to change the face of our industry forever. Providing pharmaceutical products to patients is an extremely profitable business. Recent data indicates that Walgr Continue reading >>

When You Can't Afford The Insulin That You Need To Survive | How To Use The Cheap "old-school" Insulin

Note: BootCamp for Betics is not a medical center. Anything you read on this site should not be considered medical advice, and is for educational purposes only. Always consult with a physician or a diabetes nurse educator before starting or changing insulin doses. Did you know that all type 1 diabetics and some type 2 diabetics need injectable insulin in order to live? Put another way, if a diabetic needs insulin in order to live, and the diabetic does not get insulin, the diabetic will die. Diabetic death from Diabetic Ketoacidosis is a grisly process, during which acid starts running through your bloodstream, searing your vessels and organs while your body shrivels up in dehydration as it tries to push the acid out of your body through your urine and lungs, and, left untreated, the condition shuts down your organs one by one until you are dead. If you're lucky, your brain will be the first thing to swell itself into a coma and you'll be unconscious for the remainder of the organ failures. In some cases, this grisly diabetic death can take a few days or weeks to complete its process. Or, if you're one of the luckier less-resistant insulin-dependent type 2 diabetics, you may actually get away with staying alive for quite a few years and suffer only some heart disease, stroke, kidney damage/failure, neuropathy, limb amputations and blindness. (my intent in describing how lack of insulin leads to death is not to cause fear in people with diabetes or their loved ones; rather, my intent is to make clear the reality that injectable insulin is absolutely vital to diabetics who depend on injectable insulin to live) While I'd love to go off on a political rant about how insulin should be a basic human right for all insulin-dependent diabetics (and why the hell isn't it?), that' Continue reading >>

Diabetics Sell Insulin And Test Strips On Black Market For Extra Cash

Autoplay:Play Video0:00 0:00: 0%: 0%LIVE -0:00 TAMPA, Fla. - Diabetes is at epidemic levels in Florida. In this year’s annual report, the Florida Diabetes Advisory Council estimated that nearly 2.4 million Floridians have the disease and more than 5.8 million have pre-diabetes. And the cost is huge, an estimated $24.3 billion a year is spent on direct medical expenses and indirect costs, which add up to about $1,200 a year for every man woman and child in the state. We're paying the cost through higher insurance rates and higher taxes to support programs like Medicare and Medicaid. But some are cashing in, profiting on the black market for diabetic supplies. While others who sell their medicine and test supplies risk getting sicker. In recent months, the I-Team found dozens of people posting ads on sites like Facebook and Craigslist from people offering to sell their insulin, which is illegal. One man we contacted showed up with his wife and kids to show us what he had to offer. He had multiple insulin pens he said he purchased before his doctor switched his prescription to an insulin pump. When we told him we were doing an investigation into the diabetic supply black market, he agreed to an interview, if we didn’t identify him. “My kids have to eat,” he said, acknowledging that insulin is “very expensive”. “People don't have the money either to get it. People don't have insurance,” he said. The pens he was selling for $30 each have a retail price of close to $100 each. He said he sold the pens to help other diabetics out, noting “You can die if you don’t have it.” We contacted another woman who advertised insulin on Craigslist. She showed up with two unpackaged pens she said her son got from Medicaid. She said she knows selling insulin is illegal, Continue reading >>

Ema Approval For Biosimilar Insulin Glargine Semglee Posted 15/02/2018

Home / Biosimilars / News / EMA approval for biosimilar insulin glargine Semglee EMA approval for biosimilar insulin glargine Semglee Posted 15/02/2018 The European Medicines Agencys (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) announced on 25 January 2018 that it had recommended granting marketing authorization for the insulin glargine biosimilar Semglee. Semglee is produced by US generics giant Mylan Pharmaceuticals (Mylan)and partner India-based biologicals specialist Biocon. The pair submitted their application for their insulin glargine biosimilar (MYL1501D) to EMA in November 2016 [1]. The product is a proposed biosimilar to Sanofis Lantus (insulin glargine), which had worldwide net sales of US$5.7 billion in 2016. The patents on Lantus expired in 2014 in both Europe and the US [2]. Insulin glargine is a long-acting basal insulin analogue, given once daily to help control the blood sugar level of those with diabetes. It consists of microcrystals that slowly release insulin, giving a long duration of action of 18 to 26 hours. Insulin glargine is indicated for the treatment of diabetes mellitus in adults, adolescents and children aged two years and above. The CHMP has recommended that Semglee be approved for the treatment of diabetes. The positive opinion will now be referred to the European Commission, which grants marketing authorizations for medicines in the European Union. Biocon also received approval from Japans Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for its insulin glargine biosimilar in March 2016 [3]. Biocon and Mylan have a global partnership on biosimilars with phase III clinical trials ongoing for candidate biosimilars of adalimumab, bevacizumab, pegfilgrastim and trastuzumab [4]. Continue reading >>

The Worlds Top Selling Diabetes Drugs

Lantus and Januvia, two treatments for diabetes are some of the highest selling drugs of all time and represent some of the greatest breakthroughs in diabetes control. Pharmaceutical-technology.com lists the worlds top selling diabetes drugs based on 2015 revenue. Onglyzas sales increased by 2% to $786m in 2015. Image courtesy of AstraZeneca. Lantus (insulin glargine [rDNA origin] injection) $6.98bn Accounting for 17.2% of Sanofi-Aventis Groups aggregate net sales in 2015, Lantus continues to be the worlds top selling insulin brand despite a decline of 10.8% in sales compared to 2014 which was caused by higher discounts and slowdown of basal insulin market in the US. The decline in US sales was partially offset by the strong performance in emerging markets, which contributed to 17.3% increase in sales, driven primarily by China. Lantus (insulin glargine) is a long-acting recombinant human insulin analogue developed for the treatment of adult and paediatric Type 1 /Type 2 in diabetics that require basal insulin to control hyperglycaemia. The biosynthetic insulin, injected subcutaneously, mimics NPH human insulin and regulates the glucose metabolism in the body. Lantus was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in April 2000. The European Commission (EC) granted marketing authorisation for Lantus, valid throughout the European Union (EU), in June the same year. Januvia (Sitagliptin 25mg, 50mg, 100mg tablets) $3.86bn Januvia (sitagliptin), the major candidate in Mercks diabetes portfolio, accounted for 64.3% of the companys revenue from diabetes drugs in 2015. Sales in the US remained strong with the company registering an increase of 3% in sales year-over-year. The effect of unfavourable foreign exchange on the drugs sales was offset by higher volumes and Continue reading >>

True Or False: You Can Buy Insulin From Canada

True or false: It's illegal for U.S. residents to order and receive prescription medication from pharmacies in Canada. Okay, how about this one - True or false: It's illegal for Canadian pharmacies to ship prescription medications to U.S. residents. The answer: False! Did you get all that? Allow me to explain... So, a couple of weeks ago the news broke that Google got into heaps of trouble with the FDA for allowing Canadian pharmacies to post their ads on American websites using their AdWords service. Of course, Google's $500 million settlement was more like a slap on the wrist considering how much the company is worth, but it drove home the point that Canadian pharmacies — and actually all international pharmacies — are not supposed to sell their goods to U.S. residents. It's against the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act, which specifically states that it is illegal to import controlled substances and unapproved prescription drugs, whether the product is a foreign-made version of a U.S.-approved drug or the exact same drug that U.S. manufacturers send to Canada. So even if the factory makes the same insulin for both the Canadian market and the U.S., Canada cannot legally turn around and export the insulin to the U.S. Yep, it's true. What FDA Forbids Apparently the folks at FDA have positively convinced themselves that all drugs from outside the United States are evil. Well, sort of... In 2003, William Hubbard (then commissioner and later founder of the advocacy group Alliance for a strong FDA) testified before the Subcommittee on Human Rights and Wellness House Committee on Government Reform that: "In our experience, many drugs obtained from foreign sources that either purport to be or appear to be the same as U.S.-approved prescription drugs are, in fact, of unknown qu Continue reading >>

Buying Insulin Without A Prescription: What To Know

What would you do if you found yourself in desperate need of life-saving insulin but you were uninsured or didn’t have a prescription? It’s a scary thought and a worst-case scenario—but it could happen. If you do find yourself in this situation you should know that all hope is not lost; you can purchase certain types of insulin over the counter and without a prescription, but there are many factors you should consider carefully before doing so. Things to know Before you head out the door there are a few things you should know upfront: -There are currently only two types of human insulin available over the counter and they are older versions of the medicine, which means they take longer to metabolize than the newer, prescription versions you likely are accustomed to using. -You should NOT self-administer insulin unless you have consulted with a doctor. Incorrectly administering insulin could be fatal. -No long-acting over-the-counter insulin is available at this time. So you have to find another solution if you require basal insulin. -There may be a safer or cheaper options, such as a local clinic or pharmaceutical assistance program. The versions of insulin that are available over the counter were approved for sale that way because they are based on a less concentrated, older formulation "that did not require a licensed medical practitioner's supervision for safe use," an FDA representative told NPR. The assumption is that the person buying and administering the insulin knows what to do—but this is not always the case. Today, most prescriptions cover the most up-to-date types of insulin—basal insulins such as Lantus and Levemir, as well as rapid-acting insulins like Novolog, Humalog, and Apidra. But when you buy insulin over the counter, these brand-name insul Continue reading >>

Online, Direct-to-consumer Access To Insulin: Patient Safety Considerations And Reform

Go to: Abstract The online, direct-to-consumer (DTC) medical marketplace is proliferating more rapidly than regulation is evolving to ensure proper patient safety and public health controls. Along with this growing body of unrestrained medical testing and pharmaceuticals offered DTC online, most types of insulin and insulin administration products may now be purchased without prescriptions or physician guidance. Given the relatively significant risks of insulin use, the abuse potential, the high prevalence of diabetes mellitus, and the rising population of uninsured and underinsured, it is imperative to reform the online DTC medical marketplace to ensure that patient safety and public health are protected. Keywords: direct to consumer, health policy, hypoglycemia, insulin Go to: Introduction In 1941, insulin was the first medical therapeutic required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to undergo a rigorous certification process to ensure batch safety before use in patient care.1 However, in 1951, the initial prescription legend strangely exempted insulin from prescription status.2 Some insulin types remain nonprescription today despite meeting two major FDA criteria for prescription-only status: (1) medications administered by injection; and (2) medications sufficiently toxic that patients cannot self-treat.2 Yet, although select insulin products in the United States are nonprescription, behind-the-counter status unofficially restricts all insulin access.2 Furthermore, the prescriptiononly status of syringes required to inject insulin has historically and indirectly limited access to the medication.3 However, public health efforts since 2000 to deregulate insulin syringes3—also used by intravenous drug abusers—has resulted in the added consequence of red Continue reading >>

Can I Get Insulin Over The Counter?

Jennifer Smith of Integrated Diabetes Services answers a question about generic insulin brands available at WalMart. We receive many questions about over-the-counter insulin, so we decided to ask certified diabetes educator Jennifer Smith of Integrated Diabetes Services (IDS) about it. Here’s her answer: Today, most prescriptions for those using insulin cover the most up-to-date types of insulin – basal insulins such as Lantus and Levemir, as well as rapid-acting insulins like Novolog, Humalog and Apidra. Read “Can I Use Insulin Past Its Expiration Date?” When you buy insulin over the counter (OTC), these brand-name insulins are not available. sponsor ReliOn Brand of insulin at Walmart is available without prescription in some states. However, it includes very limited types of insulin. These are the older generation of insulins, including R insulin, also called Regular (a short-acting insulin and N insulin (an intermediate-acting insulin taken twice a day). These generic OTC insulins have a very different action profile than prescribed insulins. However, generic does not by any means indicate low quality. Having an insulin back-up plan in case you find yourself with an outdated prescription or short on funds is important. It would be beneficial to discuss with a health care provider how to go about using these generic OTC insulins before you have to use them, however. Read “Why Walmart Insulins Aren’t the Answer to High Insulin Prices.” Rapid-acting insulin works faster and clears your body faster. Basal insulin analogs typically work longer and more evenly without a peak in action, unlike the intermediate-acting insulin that has to be taken two times a day. R and N insulin types require users to have a bit more stability to their meals and daily activitie Continue reading >>

Black Market Insulin: What You Need To Know

Millions of consumers are battling rising drug prices. But for diabetics who rely on daily medication, supplies and monitoring equipment, the problem can be particularly acute. Just last month two major insulin manufacturers, Eli Lily (LLY) and Novo Nordisk (NVO), each raised their insulin prices by 8 percent. On Thursday, Nevada Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval signed a law that would require pharmaceutical companies to disclose how they set insulin prices. Meanwhile, Washington watchers are expecting President Donald Trump to soon issue at least one executive order aimed at lowering drug prices. Many health care experts worry that rising prices will exacerbate the already dramatic trend of buying insulin and other diabetes drugs on the so-called black or gray market. Adult diabetics and the parents of children suffering from juvenile diabetes who have trouble affording treatment are increasingly turning to the dozens of Facebook (FB) pages and other internet sites that act as a vital marketplace for people looking to trade, swap, buy and sell medicine, equipment and supplies. "I cannot afford my insulin anymore. I have Lantus pens to trade for Novolog or Humalog vials/pens. Any help is appreciated!" reads one post on the website of digital diabetes support firm Helparound. A handful of people answered, some willing to trade, others offering advice on ways to afford the insulin the writer needs. These networks often include trades based on insurance coverage. Some people may have insurance that covers one type of insulin, but their policy doesn't cover the brand that works best for them. They offer to swap a supply of the drug their insurance covers with people who may have coverage for the brand they're looking for. "We hear about people going to alternative sources all Continue reading >>

Buying Insulin In Canada Without A Prescription (btc)

With insulin prices skyrocketing, no wonder the diabetic community is taking to social media to network and share their experiences as they swap tips and tricks not only for moral support, but also financial. This month, we received an interesting consumer comment via our Facebook page asking if we knew that Americans are driving to Canada to buy insulin without a prescription. Well, no. As our primary focus is mail-order pharmacy, it wasn’t on our radar. Nevertheless, it sparked our interest and we’d like to share our findings with the PharmacyChecker community. After calling 20 pharmacies across Canada (specifically in the following cities: Québec City, Toronto, Alberta, Victoria, Winnipeg and Regina) the answer is clear: Americans can obtain insulin without a prescription in Canada. All pharmacists that I called reported—rather matter-of-factly—that you do not need a prescription for any insulin product, which would include Lantus Solostar, Humalog and Levemir. We specifically talked about Lantus Solostar, a popular, long-acting insulin. The price in Canada for a three-month supply of Lantus Solostar (3 ml) is currently around $447.00 while the average retail price in the U.S. is a staggering $1,160.39. Apparently, they practice what they preach: all patients—including Americans—do not need a prescription to obtain insulin in Canada. While a prescription is not needed, the drugs are available only from the pharmacist and must be retained within an area of the pharmacy where there is no public access and no opportunity for patient self-selection (also known in the U.S. as Behind the Counter (BTC). There are some important nuances about insulin sales in Canada that might interest you. To start, insulin is not on the Health Canada Prescription Drug List. He Continue reading >>

Patients Beg For Pricey Drugs On Facebook Black Market

Desperate patients are swapping pricey pharmaceutical drugs on Facebook. Doctors say it's dangerous. But when you need a drug every day to survive, you're going to find a way to get it. It shouldn't be that surprising. You can buy, sell or trade almost anything on Facebook, from designer sneakers to unwanted fishing boats to antique medical cots. Now, even life-saving insulin. Financially struggling patients know they're taking a risk when they inject something sent by a Facebook "friend" into their body. But they say without affordable alternatives they're forced to rely on this online honor system. "I Would be Dead" Here's how it works. Patient with diabetes, for instance, might post a request for help to their regular Facebook newsfeed. It's like tossing an SOS in a bottle into cyberspace. Then there are the dedicated Facebook groups set up to arrange trades. "In need of Lantus will trade Novolog," read a post in one of the forums. "I have Lantus pen and I'll trade you as I need Novolog! PM [private message] me," said one of the replies. Another reply suggested the shipper use "a frozen juice box or ice pack" to keep the biopharmaceutical refrigerated. "ISO [in search of] a Novopen Echo. I have Humalog and Apidra pens and Apidra vials and Ominpods to trade," read another post. A match was made when another forum member replied, "I have one with some unexpired Novolog refills. I am in need of Apidra pens!" Membership in the mostly private groups may require moderator approval. NBC News reporters requested to join and were admitted to some of the groups. Their member numbers can range from a few dozen to a couple thousand. The posts take various forms. Sometimes a patient asks for help when they've run out of supplies, insurance coverage and/or money. Another person wh Continue reading >>

You Can Buy Insulin Without A Prescription, But Should You?

As anyone with diabetes can tell you, managing the disease with insulin usually means regular checkups at the doctor's office to fine-tune the dosage, monitor blood-sugar levels and check for complications. But here's a little known fact: Some forms of insulin can be bought without a prescription. Carmen Smith did that for six years when she didn't have health insurance and didn't have a primary care doctor. She bought her insulin without a prescription at Wal-Mart. "It's not like we go in our trench coat and a top hat, saying, 'Uh I need the insulin,' " says Smith, who lives in Cleveland. "The clerks usually don't know it's a big secret. They'll just go, 'Do we sell over-the-counter insulin?' " Once the pharmacist says yes, the clerk just goes to get it, Smith says. "And you purchase it and go about your business." But it's still a pretty uncommon purchase. Smith didn't learn from a doctor that she could buy insulin that way. In fact, many doctors don't know it's possible. When she no longer had insurance to help pay for doctors' appointments or medicine, Smith happened to ask at Wal-Mart if she could get vials of the medicine without a prescription. To figure out the dose, she just used the same amount a doctor had given her years before. It was a way to survive, she says, but no way to live. It was horrible when she didn't get the size of the dose or the timing quite right. "It's a quick high and then, it's a down," Smith says. "The down part is, you feel icky. You feel lifeless. You feel pain. And the cramps are so intense — till you can't walk, you can't sit, you can't stand." Smith says her guesswork put her in the emergency room a handful of times over the years. The availability of insulin over the counter presents a real conundrum. As Smith's experience shows Continue reading >>

Insulin And Diabetes Management

With the discovery of insulin at the University of Toronto in the early 1920’s, followed by the establishment of commercial production, diabetes was no longer a death sentence. Insulin was not a cure, but when used properly and combined with constant monitoring of diet and blood sugar, diabetics could now live long and active lives. In 1922, the pharmaceutical company, Eli Lilly, was the first firm to commercially produce insulin. Scientists extracted and purified insulin found in the pancreases of pigs and cattle supplied by the slaughterhouses. The first insulins varied greatly in purity and strength. Manufacturers improved purification techniques, introduced standardized strengths and developed new long-acting insulins. Although not identical to human insulin, animal based insulins were a highly effective treatment. The development of insulin therapy transformed diabetes from an acute, fatal disease to a chronic condition requiring life-long management. One consequence of this change was the creation of a growing population of people dependent on insulin. For reasons not entirely understood, changes in lifestyle and eating habits have also contributed to the number of Americans with diabetes. Together, these factors have resulted in an ever-expanding demand for insulin. By the 1980s, concerns developed that the demand for insulin would out-strip the supply of animal organs. As luck would have it, new developments in biotechnology provided an alternate source for insulin. Recombinant DNA, a lab technique developed in the early 1970s, allowed pharmaceutical manufacturers to genetically engineer bacteria to produce human insulin. This “recombinant insulin” first came on the market in the mid-1980s, under the brand name Humulin. After its release, Humulin quickly r Continue reading >>

How To Get Insulin At A Cheaper Price

Insulin can be expensive. If you’re one of the 6 million Americans with diabetes relying on this main-stay treatment, you could be paying out-of-pocket costs anywhere from $120 to $400 per month, according to a 2015 New England Journal of Medicine commentary. Drugs such as Lantus (insulin glargine) and Levemir (insulin detemir) have seen significant cost increases, according to a recent trend report by pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts. One reason for the high prices is the lack of generic options for insulin. So for now, you’re stuck having to search around to find affordable options. Where do you shop for more affordable insulin? For some people though, high drug costs can mean making difficult financial choices. Our national polls show people might cut back on groceries and paying bills to pay for their medications. To minimize your costs, consider these options: Prescription Assistance Programs If you don’t have health insurance or are without drug coverage, look into applying for a patient assistance program (PAP). Through the nonprofit NeedyMeds, you can find some programs that offer free or low-cost insulin as long as you meet the eligibility requirements. Those are usually based on your insurance status, income, and diagnosis. You might also qualify for a diagnosis-specific program that can help you save on syringes, pumps, and other diabetes supplies. Pharmacists are also a great resource and can help you find a PAP that meets your financial needs. Switch Drugs Another way to save is by asking your doctor whether there’s a lower-priced insulin that’s right for you. While “long-acting” is a more popular type of insulin, it's also more expensive, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it works better. “It’s mostly a marketing ploy,” says M Continue reading >>