insulins costs

Status
Not open for further replies.

mary101

Active Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
i am sorry to be asking so many questions but am still learning

about all of this

a couple of months ago when i was in drs office he

said he wanted to put me on an insulin that costs

$300.00 a month anyone have any ideal what type of

insulin this would be he never told my the type

it would be 194 pounds approx

thanks
 
Im afraid I dont, I dont think its that often we get quoted the price! You are overseas I take it?

Someone might be on in a bit who knows these things and can help you x
 
I believe that the commonly used insulins here in the UK are around ?30 for 5 3ml cartridges - not sure about vials. I know that in the US things are much more expensive, so it's possible that a vial here would cost twice that in the US. Or it may be something different like Byetta or Victoza, which I believe are more expensive than insulin.
 
According to the BNF Levemir is ?42 for 5 pens or ?44.58 for cartridges.
Byetta is ?68.24 for 60 doses (lasts 3-6 days).
Victoza is ?78 for 2 3ml pens
Bovine/Porcine Insulins seem to be about ?28 for 5 10ml vials.
Humulin is ?26 for 5 3ml pens.

I use about 15 pens a month so not far off. Byetta/Victoza looks too expensive.

I would suggest you ask your doctor, Mary. I would think it's a basal one like Levemir (I've seen this at $170 for 5 pens on-line pharmacy)
 
According to the BNF Levemir is ?42 for 5 pens or ?44.58 for cartridges.
Byetta is ?68.24 for 60 doses (lasts 3-6 days).
Victoza is ?78 for 2 3ml pens
Bovine/Porcine Insulins seem to be about ?28 for 5 10ml vials.
Humulin is ?26 for 5 3ml pens.

I use about 15 pens a month so not far off. Byetta/Victoza looks too expensive.

I would suggest you ask your doctor, Mary. I would think it's a basal one like Levemir (I've seen this at $170 for 5 pens on-line pharmacy)

Goodness me my diabetes is costing a fortune.🙄 ?68 woosh!
 
According to the BNF Levemir is ?42 for 5 pens or ?44.58 for cartridges.
Byetta is ?68.24 for 60 doses (lasts 3-6 days).
Victoza is ?78 for 2 3ml pens
Bovine/Porcine Insulins seem to be about ?28 for 5 10ml vials.
Humulin is ?26 for 5 3ml pens.

I use about 15 pens a month so not far off. Byetta/Victoza looks too expensive.

I would suggest you ask your doctor, Mary. I would think it's a basal one like Levemir (I've seen this at $170 for 5 pens on-line pharmacy)

The Byetta pen at 60 doses lasts 30 days not 3 -6 days. There is no variation on this and everyone has the same dose either a 5mg or 10 mg pen. 2 shots a day for 30 days. So the cost for it would be 68.24 per month plus the cost of the needles.
 
The Byetta pen at 60 doses lasts 30 days not 3 -6 days. There is no variation on this and everyone has the same dose either a 5mg or 10 mg pen. 2 shots a day for 30 days. So the cost for it would be 68.24 per month plus the cost of the needles.

Thanks Lizzie beat me to it then, relaised after id typed and thought 3-6 days :confused:
 
According to the BNF Levemir is ?42 for 5 pens or ?44.58 for cartridges.
Byetta is ?68.24 for 60 doses (lasts 3-6 days).
Victoza is ?78 for 2 3ml pens
Bovine/Porcine Insulins seem to be about ?28 for 5 10ml vials.
Humulin is ?26 for 5 3ml pens.

I use about 15 pens a month so not far off. Byetta/Victoza looks too expensive.

I would suggest you ask your doctor, Mary. I would think it's a basal one like Levemir (I've seen this at $170 for 5 pens on-line pharmacy)

jeebus! That means I've probably got thousands of pounds worth in my fridge! I've got loads and loads of old stock

*runs to the kitchen to tot the totals up!*

Any idea on costs on novorapid?
 
for comparison
Victoza?
6 mg/ml, solution injectable en stylo pr?rempli
Prix : 110,04 euros
Levemir? FlexPen?
100 U/ml, solution injectable en stylo pr?rempli
Prix : 67,41 euros
NovoRapid? FlexPen?
100 U/ml, suspension injectable en stylo pr?rempli
43,18 euros
NovoRapid? Flacon
100 U/ml, solution injectable en flacon
Liste II Prix : 21,65 euro :
APIDRA 100 UI/ml Solostar : solution injectable SC ; bo?te de 5 stylos pr?remplis jetables
- Prix : 43,18 €.
INSULINE LANTUS 100 UI/ml Solostar : solution injectable SC ; bo?te de 5 stylos pr?remplis jetables
- Prix : 67,41
so basically in France 5 rapid insulin pens 43,18 euros, 5 basal pens (lantus or levimir) 67.41E, 1 vial rapid insulin 21,65 E. (As in th UK these are prices negociated by the health service)
 
Last edited:
I wonder why it all costs so much? Surely all the brains employed by the NHS could come up with a viable more cost effective alternative.
 
jeebus! That means I've probably got thousands of pounds worth in my fridge! I've got loads and loads of old stock

*runs to the kitchen to tot the totals up!*

Any idea on costs on novorapid?

net price 10-mL vial = ?16.60; Penfill? cartridge (for NovoPen? devices) 5 ? 3-mL = ?29.14; 5 ? 3-mL FlexPen? prefilled disposable injection devices (range 1–60 units, allowing 1-unit dosage adjustment) = ?32.00
Go to http://BNF.org and register. It's free.

Your right 30 days, it's late.
 
Last edited:
I wonder why it all costs so much? Surely all the brains employed by the NHS could come up with a viable more cost effective alternative.

The NHS like most countries negotiate the price of drugs (like greece telling the drug companies to reduce their prices by 25% or take a hike).

The pharmaceutical companies try to make as much money as they can to cover their research costs before the drug becomes generic and anyone can make it.
generic simvastatin 10 mg, net price 28-tab pack = 95p
rosuvastatin (Crestor) 10 mg (pink), 28-tab pack = ?18.03
ezetimibe 10 mg, net price 28-tab pack = ?26.31 (with simvastatin)

Same as name paracetemol is a lot more expensive than the generic ones (like happy shopper).
 
Older insulins are generally cheaper; vials for use with syringes are cheaper than cartridges; cartridges to use in reusable pens, rather than diposable pens should be cheaper, but aren't always.
Eg Lantus (insulin glargine) 10ml vial = ?26.00, 5 x 3ml cartridges or 3 x 5ml prefilled pens = ?39.00;
Levemir (insulin detemir) 5 x 3ml cartridges or prefilled pens = ?39.00 (Levemir vials not available);
Humalin I is an older intermedient acting isophane insulin, 10ml vial = ?16.50, 5 x 3ml cartridges or 5 x 3ml prefilled disposable pens = ?29.54
(All prices I['ve quoted are from BNF number 56, Sept 2008) But, pricing situation may be different for the country in which OP lives - could be anywhere that uses dollars, not just US.
 
Older insulins are generally cheaper; vials for use with syringes are cheaper than cartridges; cartridges to use in reusable pens, rather than diposable pens should be cheaper, but aren't always.
Eg Lantus (insulin glargine) 10ml vial = ?26.00, 5 x 3ml cartridges or 3 x 5ml prefilled pens = ?39.00;
Levemir (insulin detemir) 5 x 3ml cartridges or prefilled pens = ?39.00 (Levemir vials not available);
Humalin I is an older intermedient acting isophane insulin, 10ml vial = ?16.50, 5 x 3ml cartridges or 5 x 3ml prefilled disposable pens = ?29.54
(All prices I['ve quoted are from BNF number 56, Sept 2008) But, pricing situation may be different for the country in which OP lives - could be anywhere that uses dollars, not just US.

The on-line BNF is more up to date than Sept 2008. See my post of yesterday.
 
I know online is more up to date, but it was quicker to grab a book, and I was trying to illustrate the differences between old (Humalin I) and new (Lantus & Levemir). For someone with Type 2 diabetes, like OP, long acting insulins are more likely to be used, at least initially, than Novorapid.
 
insulins

thanks everyone

i could not imagine any being so high

i am on regular insulin now only $25.00

a bottle

bs is still running to high around 18 in mornings

i would think you would only go up on the insulins you

are taking not go to something that costs so much

i have a appoint in a couple of weeks maybe will find out something

i would rather stay on insulins that has been around a while than

go to some of the new stuff they cause to many side effects
 
Reading your posts, I am pleased that we have the NHS and free prescriptions, I for one would be long dead if I had to pay for my insulin and equipment.......long live the NHS!🙂
 
Hi everyone

Long time no participation.

In Spain the retail cost for NovoRapid is approx 67 euros and Lantus is 76 euros. The cost to me is approx 2.75 euros.

Accu Chek Active Test Strips retail @ 43.59 and they cost me 45 cents.

So no complaints from me at all! But know of at least 2 people in the USA who have to import insulin as it is just too expensive locally.
 
I wonder why it all costs so much? Surely all the brains employed by the NHS could come up with a viable more cost effective alternative.

We wish!!! Any suggestions would be greatfully recieved..
Developing drugs cost A LOT of mone, there's a lot of research work that goes on that doesn't work out .For each successful drug that goes on the market there's a lot that don't make it. The drug companies have to finance themselves somehow. Also all the equipment and processes needed to make the drugs is gonna be pretty expensive to buy and maintain. I don't even know how to make insulin or test strips or things like that. You can buy drugs in pure, powdered form and make up different formulations, but they days when pharmacists used to make up thier own concoctions from herbs and stuff are long gone, i'm afraid.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top