HealthGap Project

Ozempic has taken the world by stom. Oiginally designed to help people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar, it has become a household name — thanks in pat to its dramatic weight-loss effects. Celebities like Oprah Winfrey and Elon Musk praise it, demand is skyrocketing, and its manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, is seeing record-breaking profits. But beneath the hype lies a troubling reality: the cost of these dugs is far beyond reach for millions, and the companies behind them are making choices that pioitize profits over patient access. 

A Life-Changing Drug, but Not for Eveyone:

Ozempic belongs to a class of dugs called GLP1 receptor agonists, which have been transfomative for diabetes management. They help regulate blood sugar and even assist with weight loss. In high-income counties, they are widely available — but in many low- and middle-income nations, these dugs remain inaccessible due to exorbitant picing. A recent study revealed that these dugs could be sold for as little as $0.89 per month while still remaining profitable. Yet, in reality, patients are paying far more: Brazil: $95/month South Afica: $115/month Latvia: $230/month United States: Between $353 and $1,000/month This translates to a markup of up to 39,562% — a staggeing gap between what these dugs could cost and what patients are forced to pay. And this isn’t just about GLP1s. Older diabetes medications like insulin suffer from similar picing problems. While insulin has been around for more than a centuy, its cost has soared, pushing it out of reach for many who need it most. Shockingly, in 24 counties, no forms of insulin are registered for sale at all, meaning patients in these regions have no access to a lifesaving dug. 

A Step Backward: 

The Shift from Pens to Vials While Novo Nordisk continues to expand production of high-piced weight-loss medications, it is quietly making changes that negatively impact diabetes patients. In counties like South Afica, the company has stopped supplying insulin pens, forcing patients to switch to glass vials and syinges. Why does this matter? Insulin pens are significantly more user-fiendly, especially for people with vision impaiments or limited dexteity. A suvey found that 82% of patients prefer insulin pens over vials due to their ease of use and improved accuracy. Yet, Novo Nordisk claims based Ozempic for wealthier markets. Critics argue this is another example of phamaceutical companies putting profits before patients, pioitizing expensive new dugs while scaling back affordable, accessible options. 

A Monopoly on Diabetes Care:

This issue runs deeper than just picing. More than 90% of the world’s insulin production is controlled by just three companies: Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, and Sanofi. These same fims also dominate the rapidly growing GLP1 market. With their near-monopoly, they have been accused of maintaining a “stranglehold” on life-saving diabetes treatments, inflating pices far beyond what’s necessay. The scientists who discovered insulin sold its patent to the University of Toronto for just $1, believing that such a vital medicine should be accessible to all. Yet today, insulin and related diabetes treatments are some of the most expensive dugs on the market, with some being piced at 400 times their production cost. 

A Call for Change:

Humanitaian organizations, have called for immediate action and have urged insulin manufacturers to lower pices and ensure all types of insulin delivey devices remain available, arguing that insulin pens could still be sold at a profit for $1 each. Advocacy groups are pushing for: Lower, fairer picing for diabetes dugs globally. The continued production of insulin pens for patients who rely on them. More competition in the insulin and GLP1 market to break up corporate monopolies. 

Why This Matters:

Diabetes is a global cisis that doesn’t disciminate based on wealth. Yet, the curent system ensures that only those in high-income counties, or those who can afford inflated pices can get access to the best treatments. Meanwhile, millions in lower-income nations stuggle with outdated, less effective options or go without treatment altogether. As demand for GLP1s like Ozempic and Wegovy grows, it’s cucial to ask: Who is benefiting? And who is being left behind? Change is possible, but only if companies are pressured to pioitize patients over profits. As GLP1 dugs like Ozempic dominate the market and insulin remains out of reach for many, we have to ask: How long will phamaceutical giants pioitize profits over patients? Will regulatoy pressure force fairer picing, or will access to life-saving dugs continue to depend on wealth and geography? The fight for affordable diabetes care isn’t over, so who will take action next?

Sources: Access to Medicine Foundation 2022. Dugmakers that dominate the world’s insulin market must scale up access effots globally | Access to Medicine Foundation. [online] accesstomedicinefoundation.org. Available at: https://accesstomedicinefoundation.org/news/how-the-dominant-global-insulin-producersmust-scale-up-access-effots-to-reach-people-with-diabetes-worldwide. Ahmed, K. 2024. Weight-loss dug fim accused of pioitising profits after halting insulin pen production. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/globaldevelopment/2024/oct/16/weight-loss-dug-fim-novo-nordisk-insulin-pen-production. Anon, 2024. Access Battle For New Generation Obesity Dugs  Health Policy Watch. [online] Available at: https://healthpolicy-watch.news/access-battle-for-new-generationobesity-dugs/. Touchstone, L.A. 2024. How do dugs like Ozempic work for weight loss? | School of Molecular & Cellular Biology | UIUC. [online] Illinois.edu. Available at: https://mcb.illinois.edu/news/20240709/how-do-dugs-ozempic-work-weight-loss.