An ABC15 viewer recently reached out to me saying she's having a difficult time getting prescriptions filled for the three insulin drugs she needs to take each day to treat her Type II Diabetes, a disease she has had for more than half a century.
In an e-mail, Ann S. from Mesa said, "Nick, I am desperately writing in hopes of getting some on-air coverage of the insulin shortage...I take 3 insulins to survive. Have had diabetes for 60 years. Help take this to the news. Maybe we can wake people up to fix this. I wasn't planning to die next week."
"This was probably the most scary incident I've had with insulin," Ann explains. "I've never had difficulty getting it like I did this time."
Ann says, over the past several months, being able to get her prescriptions filled on time has become even more challenging - and says she hears all different reasons why there could be delays.
"I emailed everybody. I contacted every news agency and every reporter and I contacted all my state reps...You happened to be the first to respond...and I appreciate that you did."
So ABC15 got to work advocating for Ann. We reached out to Novo Nordisk, the company that manufactures the three insulin drugs Ann takes each day.
Novo Nordisk sent us a statement, saying in part: "We sincerely apologize for any disruption to care that may be experienced and we appreciate the patience and understanding of the healthcare professional community and patients."
For two of the drugs, Novo Nordisk cited "supply disruptions" and "manufacturing delays" as part of the reason patients and providers may be struggling to get their hands on this particular type of insulin.
"I began to cut back on what I'm taking, which you shouldn't do. But I could see I was in trouble and I didn't know what to do."
Recently, Ann says she was just days away from running out of one of her medications, but thankfully, her doctor had some on hand. Ann says the crisis was averted this time, but next time, she worries she may not be as lucky.
"I'm 75. I don't need to deal with this. I tell people I don't see well, I don't hear well, and I have trouble walking, but I'm on the right side of the dirt. And I plan to stay there."
ABC15 reached out to a number of people for this story, including doctors, pharmacies, and other experts in the field, and just like Ann, we heard mixed things about why there could be some issues with the supply. Some people said they're not seeing any kind of shortage, but Ann insists it is real — she is living it and wants to spread the word.
So what should you do if you're having a hard time finding insulin? The American Diabetes Association says the best thing to do is talk to your doctor, which is exactly what Ann did and in some cases, your doctor may be able to set up a different kind of treatment. (In Ann's case, her doctor had some of the insulin she needed and was able to give it to her.)
A spokesperson with Novo Nordisk sent ABC15 this statement in response to our story:
We maintain continuous communication with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and healthcare professionals to keep them informed of the status of our supply.
On Tresiba® supply:
We have not communicated any supply issues to the FDA for Tresiba®.
On background:
- It is important to note that Novo Nordisk does not manage supply chain beyond the wholesaler level, meaning once wholesalers have their received the products from Novo Nordisk, it is their responsibility to distribute the medicine to the various pharmacies across the country.
On Fiasp® supply:
Due to short-term manufacturing delays for Fiasp® vials, patients may experience supply disruptions through October 2024.
We understand that supply disruptions of Fiasp® vials may have a significant impact on patients and Novo Nordisk takes our responsibility to resolve this situation very seriously. We maintain continuous communication with the FDA to keep them informed of the latest supply status for this product.
We encourage patients to call ahead to their pharmacy and ask about the availability of Fiasp® vials when filling their script. If patients cannot find Fiasp® vials at their preferred pharmacy, we encourage them to call other local pharmacies for availability. If unsuccessful, we recommend patients speak with their healthcare professional about their treatment plan to determine the best course of action.
We sincerely apologize for any disruption to care that may be experienced and we appreciate the patience and understanding of patients and the healthcare professional community. We recognize that insulin is a life-saving medication and are working diligently to address the manufacturing delay as quickly as possible.
Fiasp® FlexTouch® is not impacted by this manufacturing delay and we still expect supply to be stabilized by end of September.
On Victoza® (liraglutide) supply:
Since supply disruptions began earlier this year, we have been continuously supplying the market with product. However, the limited supply situation will continue in the U.S. throughout 2024. At this time, we cannot project when we will reach full supply.
If patients cannot find Victoza® at their preferred pharmacy, we encourage them to try other local pharmacies for availability. If unsuccessful, we recommend patients speak with their healthcare provider about their treatment plan to determine the best course of action.
We sincerely apologize for any disruption to care that may be experienced and we appreciate the patience and understanding of the healthcare professional community and patients.
Advice to patients:
We encourage patients to call their preferred pharmacy before their prescription runs out to ensure that the insulin they are prescribed is available.
We also encourage patients to visit NovoCare.com for a variety of access and affordability programs.