Goldman Sachs asks in biotech research report: 'Is curing patients a sustainable business model?'

[otchmoson]

38. This isn't new.

In 2006 my husband self-published a book entitled: "Too Profitable to Cure." In it he described the market takeover by the insulin-cartel that promoted genetically-engineered insulin. He wrote to senators, congressmen, medical professionals and pertinent government agencies imploring them to retain natural animal-sourced insulins. His pleas fell on deaf ears. In the years since, he has become a "consumer" of products promoted by the insulin cartel and their adjuncts--health insurers, pharmacies, pharmacy benefit managers, doctors, durable equipment manufacturers, etc. Costs have soared; his life is more complicated; he is tethered to an insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor required by today's fast-acting engineered insulins.

In the 1960s, his diabetes-related monthly costs were less than $20. It would be hard to guesstimate today's costs since they include Medicare and private insurance premiums. And though many of his costs are NOT out-of-pocket, the mere fact that Medicare pays (monthly) to rent his $5000 insulin pump (paid in installments over 36 or 48 months), covers his insulin (probably at a cost to them of $400/month); and pays for the equipment needed to keep his continuous monitor going (I think this costs someone about $5 a day), and REQUIRES semi-annual doctor's visits, you can say that the diabetes industry CERTAINLY would buy into the premise that curing a disease is NOT a good business model.

(Apologies if this sounds whiny.) The fact that he has lived with the disease for 68 years is astounding, and just being able to afford to continue to live with the disease instead of being dead because of it is miraculous. When the soaring cost of insulin was newsworthy, I mourned for those who literally could not afford the insulin needed to keep themselves alive. If you are NOT diabetic, or know someone who is, you may not appreciate what President Biden did when he capped insulin prices. He saved lives. But sadly, the disease is still TOO PROFITABLE TO CURE.