Insulin is a HUGE cost for many individuals. Insulin has been around since the 1960's and is the only treatment available to many people with Diabetes. While other drugs start out with high cost, the cost goes down when the patent expires. Insulin, however, does not have a clear pathway for generic drug companies get FDA approval for generics since it is classified as a biologic drug. The FDA promised in 2001 that it was working on establishing guidelines on a pathway for biologic generics. Nothing has been achieved. Pharmaceutical companies deserve patent protection, but that protection should be limited for biologics in the same way it is limited for regular prescription drugs. A change such as this would make healthcare much less expensive and prevent expensive complications.
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