>> MORE THAN 7 AND A HALF MILLION PEOPLE IN THE US RELY ON INSULIN TO STAY ALIVE AND IT
CAN COST HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS
PER VIAL.
>> AS THE PRICE OF INSULIN
SOURCE MANY AMERICANS ARE
CARAVAN INTO CANADA TO GET A
LIFE-SAVING DRUG.
>> IT IS MUCH CHEAPER PAST THE
NORTHERN BORDER.
HERE’S THE STORY.
>> I AM GOING TO CHANGE MY
INSULIN PUMP NOW.
>> SHE WAKES UP EVERY MORNING
KNOWING HER LIFE DEPENDS ON
INSULIN.
>> FOR US, INSULIN IS LIKE AIR,
LIKE OXYGEN AND WE NEED TO.
>> EVEN WITH INSURANCE SHE SAYS
IT COST MORE THAN $750 A MONTH
FOR THE THREE VIAL SHE GOES
THROUGH.
SO EARLY LAST FRIDAY MORNING
SHE JOINED ABOUT A DOZEN OTHER
DIABETICS ON A BUS HEADING FROM
MINNEAPOLIS TO CANADA WHERE
INSULIN COSTS ABOUT 90 PERCENT
LESS THEN AT HOME.
HER SECOND TRIP TO CANADA IN
TWO MONTHS.
800 MILES FOR MEDICINE WITH A
MESSAGE.
>> IT HAS BECOME A
LIFE-AND-DEATH SITUATION FOR A
C.R.D.,, PEOPLE ARE DYING
BECAUSE THEY CANNOT AFFORD
INSULIN AND IT ONLY COST THESE
COMPANIES THREE DOLLARS TO SIX
DOLLARS TO MANUFACTURE A BOTTLE
OF INSULIN.
>> THEY CHOSE LONDON, ONTARIO
BECAUSE IT IS WHERE INSULIN WAS
DEVELOPED NEARLY A CENTURY AGO.
THE DRUGGIST TREIBER IN CHINA,
BECAUSE IT IS UNIVERSAL
HEALTHCARE.
THE GOVERNMENT NEGOTIATES COSTS
AND IS ALLOWED BY LAW TO CAP
PRICES.
IN THE US INSURANCE COMPANIES
MAKE INDIVIDUAL DEALS WITH
DRUGMAKERS AND THE UNINSURED
PAY MARKET PRICE.
THREE COMPANIES MAKE INSULIN.
THEY ALSO THEY OFFER PATIENT
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.
IN A STATEMENT THEY TOLD CBS
NEWS WE RECOGNIZE THAT OUR
HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IS BROKEN.
ADDING WE KNOW MORE MUST BE
DONE TO ENSURE INSULIN
AFFORDABILITY AND WE ARE
COMMITTED TO BEING PART OF THE
SOLUTION.
FOR NOW, THIS IS THE GROUP
SOLUTION.
>> I HAVE NEVER HELD THIS MUCH
INSULIN BEFORE.
IT MAKES ME WANT TO CRY.
>> THIS FILE IN THE UNITED
STATES IS $340.
THIS FILE TODAY IS $30.
>> JUST BECAUSE YOU BOUGHT IN
CANADA.
>> BECAUSE I BOUGHT IT IN
CANADA IS THE ONLY DIFFERENCE.
>> ONE IN FOUR AMERICANS
FRESHENING INSULIN BECAUSE THEY
CANNOT AFFORD IT.
>> QUEEN IS FIGHTING FOR
HERSELF AND HER YOUNGER BROTHER
WHO ALSO HAS DIABETES AND THE
OTHER 7 AND A HALF MILLION
AMERICANS WHO RELY ON INSULIN
TO STAY ALIVE.
>> I DO NOT CARE WHAT POLITICAL
PARTY YOU ARE.
WE ARE THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA AND WE STAY IN THE FOR
BROTHERS AND SISTERS AND WE ARE
LITERALLY LETTING A MEDICATION
THAT WAS DISCOVERED 99 YEARS
AGO BECOME SO UNAFFORDABLE
BECAUSE OF GREED AND BECAUSE OF
PARTISAN BAKERY AND WE’RE
LETTING TYPE I DIABETES IN 2019
BECOME A DEATH SENTENCE AGAIN.
>> REPORTING LONDON, ONTARIO,
CANADA.
>> YOU CAN FEEL THE RAGE THERE.
ONLY AND KURT KIRSTIN O’CONNER
ALSO OUR HEALTH REPORTER
JOINING US WITH MORE.
YOU BEEN FOLLOWING THE CLARA
GARDENS YOUNG STORY WHOSE
HEADING TO DC THIS WEEK BECAUSE
OF THIS ISSUE.
>> SHE IS AND SHE IS 12 YEARS
OLD.
ALL THREE OF YOU MET HER A FEW
WEEKS BACK WHEN SHE WAS TALKING
ABOUT HER PUSH TO GET RESULTS
AND TO MAKE INSULIN ACCESSIBLE
AND AFFORDABLE FOR ALL PEOPLE
IN OUR COUNTRY.
SHE WAS CONGRESSWOMAN’S PRESS
CONFERENCE.
EARLIER THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT
HOW SHE DID NOT WANT HAVE TO GO
TO CANADA TO GET HER
LIFE-SAVING MEDICATION SHE DID
NOT THINK IT WAS RIGHT AS A
12-YEAR-OLD AND HER MOTHER
AGREED AND SHE IS A PART OF A
WONDERFUL GROUP OF 160
DELEGATES THAT ARE GOING TO BE
PUSHING FOR THIS SAVINGS BILL
THAT WILL BE HELPING WITH
RESEARCH AND TO HELP EVENTUALLY
HOPEFULLY FIND A CURE FOR
DIABETES BECAUSE THERE IS SO
MUCH WORK LEFT TO BE DONE.
RIGHT HERE IN THIS VIDEO FROM
THE STORY I DID YOU CAN SEE
CLEAR IS SO SPUNKY AND SHOWING
US ALL OF HER PURSES AND WHAT
SHE CARRIES ALL OF HER MEDICAL
DEVICES AND.
SHE ALSO HAS HER SMARTIES
THERE.
THAT IS HOW SHE MANAGES HER
DIABETES.
BUT A LOT WE LEARNED ABOUT
CHILDREN WITH TYPE I AND HOW
INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT IT IS FOR
HER PARENTS TO PREDICT WHERE
HER GLUCOSE LEVELS ARE AT
ANYTIME OF THE DAY ESPECIALLY
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
HER MOM SAID SHE HAD NOT SLEPT
THROUGH THE NIGHT SINCE SHE HAD
THE DIAGNOSIS A YEAR AND AND A
HALF AGO.
IT HAS BEEN A REALLY TOUGH PART
OF THEIR ENTIRE FAMILY.
>> AND HEAR HER WHEN SHE WAS
HERE SAY WOULD BE CHEAPER TO
BUY A PLANE TICKET AND GET A
HOTEL AND GO TO CANADA OR
MEXICO THAN IT IS JUST TO GET
HER INSULIN HERE REALLY PUTS IT
INTO PERSPECTIVE.
>> CERTAINLY.
AND HER MOM DOES THAT SONG AND
DANCE ABOUT WHAT THEY WOULD GET
TO DO THEY LOOK AT THE STATE
THE RITZ AND GET TO GO ON A
SHOPPING SPREE AND DO ALL THESE
THINGS BUT THAT IS VERY REAL
FOR THEIR FAMILY.
THEY ARE SPENDING $1500 A MONTH
WITH INSURANCE TO GET HER
LIFE-SAVING MEDICATION AND
MEDICAL SUPPLIES.
IN ONE CLEAR WAS HERE IN THE 9
AM SHOW SHE WAS TALKING TO ALL
OF YOU ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY
WHICH IS THIS CONTINUOUS
GLUCOSE MONITOR THAT IS AN
INSERT ARE PART OF AN IMPLANT
IN HER ARM AND WAS SOMETHING
SHE KEPT SAYING SHE REALLY
WANTED AND SHE NEEDED.
BUT SHE WAS NOT GETTING IT
BECAUSE OF HER INSURANCE.
AND THEY JUST DECIDED AFTER
THAT INTERVIEW THAT SHE WOULD
GET IT.
SO THAT IS PART OF MY STORY
THAT WILL BE AIRING TONIGHT
DURING OUR 5:30 PM NEWSCAST WE
WILL TALK ABOUT HOW SHE GOT THE
TECHNOLOGY SHE’S THE FIRST
CHILD IN THE COUNTRY TO GET IT.
WE ARE SO EXCITED FOR HER BUT
SHE HAS A LONG WAY TO GO IN HER
PUSH AND THAT IS WHAT SHE WILL
BE DOING IN WASHINGTON DC THIS
WEEK.
>> THAT IS SO GREAT TO HEAR AND
HOPEFULLY PEOPLE WILL REACH OUT
TO THEIR LAWMAKERS AND ECHO
WHAT HER MESSAGE IS.
>> EXACTLY.
BECAUSE EVERYONE AROUND THE
COUNTRY IS DEALING WITH THIS
PROBLEM.
NOT JUST HERE IN ORLANDO OR IN
CENTRAL FLORIDA BUT ALL OVER
THE PLACE AND WE DON’T WANT
ANYONE TO FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE
TO RATION THEIR INSULIN IN
ORDER TO STAY ALIVE.
>> HE WILL BE FOLLOWING HER
JOURNEY.
>> I WILL BE ON A JET TOMORROW.