Comparative Drug Value

The article states that recombinant human insulin costs about $480 per year, while insulin analogs peaked around $5,200 per year. Insulin is used as an example of expensive newer therapies displacing cheaper older therapies without adequate evidence of superiority for many patients. Countries with health technology assessment are described as starting many type 2 diabetics on older insulin and reserving analogs for those who do poorly. The article claims there is not evidence that insulin analogs are superior to recombinant human insulin for many type 2 diabetics. The article argues that money spent on unnecessarily expensive insulin could instead support lifestyle and community health interventions.