It is time to recognize that incarcerated people with diabetes are particularly vulnerable to insulin insecurity. #insulin4all is more than a hashtag: It is a rallying call to everyone impacted by insulin inaccessibility, and a mournful cry for all who have lost their lives while insulin remains clearly in view, but cruelly out of reach. It’s a demand for justice for everyone who needs insulin to survive, including incarcerated people with diabetes. We must find ways to meaningfully include and involve this population in our activism. Read more
But again, we must ask: who is this available to? This technology requires a prescription, and we know that Black and Brown communities are being offered access at much lower rates than their white peers. I am a Black woman with a family history of type 2 that puts me at greater risk of developing it. Interestingly, despite having several family members with type 2 diabetes, my child with type 1 is the first person that has CGM technology, and that was because I pushed for it. Read more
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
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
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
Here are five reasons - showcasing #insuiln4all and other social change movements around the world - why joining art, creativity and activism together is so powerful. It fosters self-expression, community building, activation, it is inspiring and attention grabbing, and it leads activists to better engage with the media. Read more
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
I wrote this piece for an AP Spanish assignment, but it took me on a deeper journey than I expected. I learned not just about the price of insulin but also how it affects people’s decision making, their accessibility taking priority over general wellbeing. In honor of National Hispanic Heritage month, I wanted to share this in English and Spanish, to give the Hispanic community, especially here in the USA, the representation they well deserve. Read more
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
In a significant challenge to pharmaceutical companies, California passed SB852 in the State Assembly with overwhelming support (66-7) on August 31. The bill would allow the state to contract for or manufacture its own generic or biosimilar prescription drugs, and specifically names insulin in response to the demands of diabetes advocates searching for long-term solutions to the insulin price crisis. Read more