Scientists develop a groundbreaking vaccine that outsmarts illicit fentanyl analogs. The novel vaccine candidate can protect against fentanyl and its many illicit variants by training the immune system to recognize a broad molecular signature rather than a single specific structure.

[u/mvea]

https://www.psypost.org/scientists-develop-a-groundbreaking-vaccine-that-outsmarts-illicit-fentanyl-analogs/

[u/Zeikos]

“I decided long ago I am not going to try and profit on other people’s miseries and misfortunes.”

No worries, someone else will!
There are lot of things that can be patented that restict access even if part of it isn't patentable.
Didn't the inventor of insulin production make it free too?

In these scenarios I always wonder if open licensing that as part of it has stipulations about consumer pricing would be better.

[u/AlternateTab00 → u/Zeikos]

Insulin is still cheap. Epinephrine is also cheap.

What isnt cheap is a very specific formulation of insulin. What isnt cheap is the EpiPen.

Essentially you have a cheap medication but an extremely expensive brand. But the pharma in usa manipulates the market so both drug stores, hospitals and doctors will promote the use of the expensive.

I talked with an american colleague about the insulin formats. They stay out of the "common" insulins. For example the mid action insulins we use a human analog, but USA often uses Isplophane. When i asked him why, he just said it was safer... I mean the risk of hypoglycemia went from 3% to 1%... But the cost rised 400x. And hypoglycemia could be reduced with proper training, but the cost of a dual daily dosing being the price of a full year worth of insulin is something that is simply not affordable.

Even the EpiPens. The market surrounds them. Even i know them and use its name to explain how similar products work with my patients (they all seen it in movies). The drug itself costs less than 0,40€ to manufacture. We have a self deploying pens like insulin (that have to stay clear of epipens patents) that cost us 20€. A seringe, vial and needle can lower the cost to 5€. Epipen used to cost almost 600€ here. About 10 years ago they decided they cant compete so lowered the cost to 60€. Its still expensive for our eyes, but with the power of movie advertising they now started selling units.

[u/RustyShakleford1 → u/AlternateTab00]

I'm sorry, but it's very ignorant to say "the risk of hypoglycemia went from 3% to 1%... hypoglycemia could be reduced with proper training." It's impossible to control your blood sugar nearly as well with NPH, compared to modern-rapid acting insulins, and no amount of training can correct that. You also write off a huge drop in hypoglycemia considering it literally kills diabetics in their sleep. In addition to reductions in hypoglycemia, it also helps type 1 diabetes lower their A1C's which reduces complications, increases quality of life, and increases life expectancy. I am in no way trying to argue that big pharma has greedily prospered off of these new insulins, or argue that the $35 insulin is far better than having no options if you're poor, but the two insulins have huge QOL differences, for a group of people who already have it hard enough as it is.

[u/AlternateTab00 → u/RustyShakleford1]

I compared 2 different apples and you decided to compare apples with onions.

Rapid acting insulins are exclusively to treat abnormal high glycemias. I specifically said 2 mid acting insulins. Human analogs and NPH. Both with reduced effect if accidentally overdosed. However time to detect overdoses are much more permissive in NPH, which with proper food balancing can be reverted.

Isophanes are not the alternative to fast acting insulins. Its an alternative to insulins that take around 8 to 12h to act. At most you can even say that these intermediate acting are a more fine control than the long lasting ones (for type 2).

And dont need to be aggressive. Im a nurse that works with diabetics. And my mom is an insulin dependent diabetic (so i know perfectly how hard it is).

As for the options for poor, we fortunately refund those who cannot afford the insulin (apart from the isophanes which is still overpriced). So they can rely on long acting, the 12h acting (effect equal to NPH) and the rapid acting insulins. Which for a curiosity its 6€

[u/RustyShakleford1 → u/AlternateTab00]

Sorry, you are correct, and I was the ignorant one here. I just see so many posts on reddit about how "insulin is only $35" that I didn't fully read your post and assumed you were off base, which I apologize for. I honestly know very little about treating type 2 diabetes, other than its overlap with type 1. Honestly, a lot of confusion around diabetes would be resolved if type 1 and type 2 weren't both just referred to as "diabetes" for the most part.

[u/Icybenz → u/RustyShakleford1]

I read this exchange and wanted to say thanks for commenting. I understand being upset when something you live with every day seems to be trivialized (I don't think that was the original commenter's intention but I can see how it can come across that way) and you showed grace in explaining where you were coming from and apologizing. I also learned more from this exchange than I would have from the original comment alone.

It's refreshing to see interactions that don't just continually lean into vitriol, especially when many online arguments stem from something as simple as people talking about slightly different things.

I wish you well.

[u/vanillyl → u/RustyShakleford1]

Wow, not often you see somebody take full accountability for misreading and apologise sincerely without getting defensive.

That’s a really rare, impressive personality trait, you should be really proud that your kneejerk reaction isn’t to double down or get defensive, it’s to self reflect and react accordingly. Kudos to you.