Major Insulin Manufacturer Warns Michiganders May Face Shortage

One of the largest insulin manufacturers in the world has announced two products will become unavailable in the new few weeks.

With only 3 companies mass-producing insulin, when something goes wrong we're all forced to feel the effects. That's exactly what's happening right now in Michigan, and nationwide.

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Headquartered in Indianapolis, pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly was the first to commercialize insulin back in 1923. Today drug manufacturers Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, and Eli Lilly are the world's top 3 largest producers of insulin.

According to the American Diabetes Association in 2021, 38.4 million Americans had been diagnosed with some type of diabetes-- and there many types. I happen to be a Type 1 Diabetic myself and this is the exact brand of insulin that I use!

Temporary Insulin Shortages

Just weeks ago Eli Lilly announced two of its widely used insulin formulations would become temporarily unavailable in the coming weeks: Humalog and insulin lispro (generic).

A man-made fast-acting insulin Lilly says 10 mL vials of brand-name insulin Humalog as well as its generic, insulin lispro, are experiencing manufacturing delays and,

...will be temporarily out of stock at wholesalers and some pharmacies through the beginning of April. We are continuing to manufacture 10 mL vials of these products and will ship them as soon as we can...We are in ongoing contact with the FDA

Lilly adds that its other forms of Humalog and insulin lispro including kwik-pens and pre-filled syringes are still available. The company also recommends checking on inventory with other nearby pharmacies to get your prescription filled or discussing temporary treatment options with your provider.

We recognize that any supply challenge may cause a disruption in people’s treatment regimens, and we are moving with urgency to address it. Anyone experiencing difficulty in getting their prescription filled should contact their healthcare provider

Thankfully, I have a couple extra vials sitting in the back of my fridge but others may not be so lucky. Who has time to drive across the state hunting down whatever vials of this life saving drug that may or may not even be available.

Maybe instead of banning TikTok we can focus on something more important, like access to healthcare-- am I right?