With the price of insulin skyrocketing in recent years, Blumenthal pushes legislation to lower drug

With the price of insulin skyrocketing in recent years, Blumenthal pushes legislation to lower drug prices


The price of insulin has more than doubled since 2012, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said during a Hartford press conference Monday, reinforcing the need for a law that will lower drug prices.

Appearing with several people with Type 1 diabetes, Blumenthal said bipartisan legislation approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee aims to lower drug prices by limiting the ability of pharmaceutical companies to abuse the patent system.

“Americans are paying astronomically, abhorrently high drug prices for ... medicines that have been around for years and years,” Blumenthal said. “Not a new wonder drug, but it is absolutely vital to survival."

Stockpiling insulin, keeping watch on the calendar to track the most cost-effective times to purchase their life-sustaining medication, exercising more and eating less — these are just some of the methods diabetics have had to resort to as the price of insulin has skyrocketed in recent years, said several people who appeared with Blumenthal on Monday.

Read more: https://www.courant.com/politics/capitol-watch/hc-pol-insulin-pharmaceutical-drug-industry-combat-practice-blumenthal-20190701-nl2xl45hnbgzdahgf3uhrvtihe-story.html