title: If PBMs Guard Access to Drugs, Then Quis Custodiet Ipsos Custodies? (Who Will Guard the Guardians?).
abstract: Insulin prices in the United States have risen dramatically in recent years, yet pharmacies cannot provide a stable price for a given insulin due to factors that are not widely understood. This commentary discusses the complex and obscure factors that drive today's insulin prices with a discussion of the other players, besides the insulin manufacturer, who benefit from higher prices. An open discussion is critical regarding this drug and others that are essential to the lives of millions of people with diabetes. We'll also explore whether the market introduction of biosimilar insulin will impact insulin prices.
authors.affiliation: MRIGlobal, Kansas City, MO, USA acarter@mriglobal.org.|University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA.
authors.forename: Alan W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.affiliation: Science & Co., Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Lutz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Heinemann
mesh_terms: D005252:Fees, Pharmaceutical / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000191:economics*; D007328:Insulin / Q000191:economics*; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin
keywords: biosimilar insulin; insulin; quality; therapy