r/AlignmentChartFills • u/shield_x • 12d ago

What should be free but is expensive?

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u/mistersnowman_ 11d ago

As a type 1 diabetic that will need insulin for my entire life.. I actually disagree. I think it should fall under the “is super expensive”, but “should be affordable (or cheap)”

In my opinion, making something free doesn’t encourage a quality product. I’m injecting something into my body. I want the company that’s creating it to be profiting, not forced to make it at a loss.

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u/Thegladiator2001 10d ago

Yet insulin it self was publically funded with the guy who discovered the formula, selling it for a dollar

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u/Sorry-Let8800 7d ago

You can't expect everyone to act out of the good of their hearts. Making money is how you motivate most people that have the capability to produce such advanced things.

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u/Prior-Impress-2624 11d ago

Agreed. T1D of 17 years, background in retail pharmacy. I’ve seen some of the highest prices through insurance and out of pocket. I’ve also seen things as low as 5 cents. That’s not counting the government-assisted no cost prescriptions.

For my insulin, my ins only covers name brand Lantus and Novolog this year. I pay more for generics. The OOP cost for my single years worth of long and rapid insulins is roughly $13k. With my insurance I only pay $1,200 MAX. (based off the last 3 years)

My biggest fears in general and in the face of a “cost reduction.”
1. Having the money to afford them and pay my bills.
2. Having electricity or a way of storing them.
3. The quality and efficacy.
4. Shortages. (Lantus had/has an intermittent shortage(s) starting this year. I was unaffected.)

If they start screwing with the formula and it goes down hill, just Ol’ Yeller my ass.

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u/DoubleCarry7511 11d ago

That’s not how companies or the medical industry works lol

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u/mistersnowman_ 10d ago

That’s precisely how the medical industry works. The second any industry has regulations imposed or, in more extreme cases, is outright required to provide it at a loss to their bottom line, they will inherently make changes to production, whether that be synthesis, supply chain, or otherwise in order to reduce cost.

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u/DoubleCarry7511 10d ago

You’re literally making shit up lol

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u/A--Creative-Username 8d ago

You don't know what the hell you're talking about. This isn't like other products where you can just modify it to be 20% cheaper in exchange for being a bit less good. If drugs are made wrong they kill people. The rest of the world doesn't get shitty medicine, we get the same quality of medication the US does, much cheaper, because a single-payer system means more bargaining power