Biohackers Figure Out How to Make Insulin 98% Cheaper

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Biohackers Figure Out How To Make Insulin 98% Cheaper | Freethink:

In a healthy human body, insulin is a hormone created by the pancreas that controls glucose levels in the bloodstream. But a diabetic's body doesn't naturally produce insulin, which means the body can't store glucose for later use as energy in fat cells.

Because of this, the fat cells break down and over-produce keto acids - the organic compounds responsible for converting glucose into energy - leading to acid levels that are too high for the liver to withstand. Should a diabetic not have access to insulin, this acid imbalance can trigger diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening condition. This is why monitoring insulin levels and using medicine is critical to survival for diabetics.

[...] In 1996, a vial of Humalog produced by Eli Lilly cost $21. Today, it's priced at $324 despite the cost of production remaining steady.

Every person with type I diabetes relies on insulin to survive, and many are willing to spend whatever it takes to get their necessary dosage. Big pharma is clearly taking advantage of this vulnerable part of the population, gorging themselves by charging astronomical costs and pricing out those who can't afford to keep up.

A group of dedicated biohackers believes that making insulin more accessible requires taking the monopoly away from the big three pharmaceutical companies that produce it. So they've started the Open Insulin Foundation, a non-profit with plans to develop the world's first open-source insulin production model.

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