The cost of insulin has spiked over the last few years and this financial burden has left some attempting to ration their insulin.
Quinn Nystrom
is fighting against Big Pharma and the government to cap the cost of insulin. Its a slow process and her Type 1 diabetes doesn’t put itself on hold when lawmakers table issues – and as the cost continues to skyrocket – she’s found herself in a precarious situation.
She is, technically, breaking the law by traveling to Canada to secure a small supply of insulin. A drug that is over the counter in Canada and costs less than a 1/10th of what it does in the United States.
Nystrom is one of many Americans in border states (and some ever further) who are choosing to cross into Canada to secure insulin, test strips and other diabetes related supplies. The US border patrol has been instructed not to act on citizens passing back into the US with a small, personal supply of insulin (3 months worth or less).
Governor Tim Walz met with a handful of activists on Wednesday, including Nystrom, to talk about how Minnesota could be a leader in supporting legislation that would keep costs down to an affordable level.
Nystrom isn’t alone in making these trips and other individuals have reached out to her about how they might travel to Canada for insulin. Enough people reached out that Nystrom teamed up with a group called T1 International to organize a bus trip to Canada. A bus filled with diabetics seeking affordable insulin.
June 28th – 30th, a bus will leave from Minneapolis and travel to Madison, WI – Chicago, IL and Lansing, MI picking up passengers along the way before heading north to London, Canada.
The significance of landing in London, Canada is that – besides visiting a pharmacy to purchase the insulin – the group will visit the historic home of Sir Frederick Banting, a man credited as being one of the individuals who discovered insulin. In a true piece of historical irony, the inventing group sold the rights to insulin for only $1 to ensure that this cheap to produce drug could be available at a low cost to anyone who needed it.
If you are interested in getting on the bus, head to
THIS PAGE
for more information. If you want to hear more about
Quinn Nystrom
‘s story, click her name to visit her website.
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