Black market insulin sales increasing as costs increase

Insulin has become so unaffordable that some patients dependent on it are turning to the black market, according to WGME.

A WGME Spotlight on America investigation found a "robust" black market for insulin on sites like Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace and reddit, where prices are often much lower than the pharmacy. Posts from people selling insulin were found across the country.

The price of insulin nearly doubled between 2012 and 2016, jumping from $2,800 to $5,700 a year for people with insurance, according to data from the Health Care Cost Institute. Those without insurance pay even more.

David Mitchell, part of the nonprofit Patients for Affordable Drugs, told WGME that more competition in the insulin market would cause the prices to go down, and the government has the power to make that happen.

Read the full article here.

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