When the Insulin That Works Disappears
This headline hit me hard. As someone living with Type 1 diabetes for 15 years, I know exactly what it feels like to lose access to the medication that keeps you alive.
When I was first diagnosed in my twenties, a fast-acting insulin brought my dangerously high blood sugar back under control. It worked well for me and helped me stay stable. Then my insurance stopped covering it. I was forced to switch to a different brand that didn’t match my body’s needs. My blood sugar spiked and crashed in unpredictable ways. Eventually, I found another option that worked even better. I finally felt in control again.
Until it vanished from the pharmacy shelf due to manufacturing issues.
I spent over two months riding out highs and lows. I felt exhausted, anxious, foggy, and unwell. By the time the supply returned, I had developed a diabetes complication that affects digestion and makes blood sugar even harder to manage. I cannot help but wonder if those unstable weeks accelerated its onset.
Insulin is not a luxury. It is not interchangeable. It is the difference between life and death. No one should lose access to the medication that works for them because of supply disruptions or insurance decisions.
The FDA knows that not every drug works the same for every person. Just last year, in response to a penicillin shortage, the agency worked with manufacturers, explored foreign supply chains and increased domestic production. We’re asking for the same urgency.
https://www.deseret.com/opinion/2025/06/05/levemir-insulin-fda-approval/
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