WHO: 30 million diabetics do not have access to enough insulin

This Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that tens of millions of diabetics they can’t get the insulin what do you need. It is estimated that one in two type 2 diabetics – in which obesity and sendentarism are risk factors – does not receive insulin. The international body called for lower prices and better access.

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A century after its discovery, insulin remains an unattainable luxury for millions of diabetics around the world. A group of patients that has quadrupled in the last 40 years, where it is estimated that there are more than 420 million people suffering from this disease today.

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The WHO exposes the alarming situation of global access to the insulin hormone and medical care by diabetics, which it attributes to high prices, a oligopoly in the market and the deficiencies of the health systems. This scenario is quite common in countries where drug prices are poorly regulated, such as the United States.

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Insulin is a hormone that regulates glucose (sugar) levels in the body and is the main treatment for type 1 diabetes (due to a deficiency in the production of hormones in the pancreas) or type 2, usually in overweight people.

Insulin, discovered a century ago by Canadian researchers, enables the 9 million type 1 sufferers to control a previously fatal disease and 60 million people with type 2 reduce the kidney risks of going blind or amputating a limb.

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“Scientists who discovered insulin a hundred years ago refused to profit from their discovery and sold the patent for just one dollar.”, Highlighted the director general of the WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

“Unfortunately, that gesture of solidarity has been overtaken by a multi-million dollar business that has created huge access gaps. WHO is working with countries and manufacturers to close those gaps and expand access to this life-saving drug for all who need it.”He added.

Insulin prevents the death of 9 million type 1 diabetics, whose bodies are unable to produce this hormone, and reduces the risk of kidney failure, blindness and limb amputation in more than 60 million type 2 diabetics, according to the report data.

The WHO has identified several hurdles, such as the switch to synthetic insulin, which is at least 1.5 times more expensive than human insulin.

90% of the market is controlled by just three pharmaceutical groups (Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi). Prices are poorly regulated and lack transparency. Supply chains are too fragile and health infrastructures are often ill-adapted.

Furthermore, the research is more focused on rich markets, when 80% of diabetics are in low- or middle-income countries.

Three out of four people affected by type 2 diabetes live in countries outside of Europe and North America.

The WHO recommends that the production of insulin of human origin be increased and that the number of producers of synthetic equivalents be increased to reduce prices.

The United Nations also recommends that prices be regulated, promote local manufacturing in regions that currently receive fewer services and facilitate access to diagnostic tools and blood glucose measurement.

With information from EFE and AFP.

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Deshawn