Just a quick post.

Again, this site does not intend to give medical advice, but insights and anecdotes from our own family’s experiences managing type 1 diabetes.

My son turned 26 and had to go on a new health care plan – the one offered by his employer. Through the convoluted business practices of the insurance companies involved, a different brand of insulin was on the “formulary,” the list of approved medications. These lists are seldom determined by medical efficacy, but instead because of so-called Pharmacy Benefit Managers, the people who “negotiate” with the pharmacy firms. They approach the drug makers with the question, “how low a price would you give us if we guaranteed that all of our policyholders have to buy from you instead of your competition?” It is either the most un-American aspect of the healthcare system, or the most uniquely American aspect of healthcare, depending upon your point of view, I guess.

At any rate, my son had to switch from Eli Lilly’s Humalog to Novo Nordisk’s Novolog. You may recall that the fast insulins basically involve molecules that are already more broken down than human insulin. In these two competing products, the molecules are a bit different, but more importantly, the preservatives and other ingredients are different.

The good news is that the switch between brands did not cause any significant problems. My son’s blood sugar management had been very good with Lilly and has continued to be good with Novo Nordisk. It’s still a sin that insurance companies are allowed to nullify your Doctor’s best judgement and force you to change medications, but in this instance, anyway, things seem to be going okay. The real problem with the new plan is the short supply they allow at one time. That’s another post. Best of luck if you have to switch insulin under similar circumstances. Let us know how it goes!