Allies Voice: Is your insulin tainted?
The question of Homeland Security comes into play as the heparin mystery unfolds. In case you haven't heard - 81 people have died as a result of contaminated heparin, a blood thinner. As a person with insulin-dependent diabetes and a diabetes consumer advocate, I'm taking the initiative to call upon the 3 large manufacturers of insulin analogues. I need to know, as a captive consumer, I am protected to the best of their abilities. Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi-Aventis should have a small army to protect their consumers. After all - it's not like they can't afford it. Let's see what is being done to ensure each vial of insulin analogue is thoroughly protected and free of undeclared contaminants.
My questions to each analogue manufacturer will be: where are the analogues manufactured? When are the contents of each vial analyzed? In light of recent contaminants found in heparin - can you guarantee the contents are not tainted?
First up is Eli Lilly. Attempts to reach Eli Lilly at 5:30pm on a Tuesday evening are unrequited. Whatever happens - don't run into analogue difficulties after business hours because Eli Lilly can't take your call. Ironical, isn't it? They butter their bread on your dollar yet they won't cough up the cheese to roll their customer support line 24 hours. In the event of an emergency… call back tomorrow. That speaks to me about Lilly's focus on customer support.
:::crickets:::
Now for Novo: difficult site to navigate, first observation. I did find my way to a contact page with a form. I choose "USA" as my country and "diabetes care" as my topic. I submit the aforementioned questions as follows: where are the analogues manufactured? When are the contents of each vial analyzed? In light of recent contaminants found in heparin - can you guarantee the contents are not tainted? Please respond so I can inform my audience on YouTube and AlliesVoice.com regarding the safety of their insulin analogues. Thank you!
Lilly deserves the same courtesy - let me see if I can submit my questions to Lilly via email so we can get to the bottom of this uncertainty. I found the following: For medical information, call The Lilly Answers Center at: 1-800-LillyRx (1-800-545-5979) . If ever was there NOT a time to hang-up on a caller…the call, once answered and put on hold for the next available "professional", was conveniently dropped. I called back and got dropped AGAIN. At least Lilly is consistent.
This is just unfair. I'm not even sure I should post this blog because it's just not looking good for the 3 Amigos. Here I am, on the Sanofi-Aventis page for customer support at 6:04 PM Eastern Standard Time on May 6, 2008. I find this statement on the above mentioned page: if you would like to contact the Customer Information Center, please click here. So I click here only to encounter a broken link. Hopefully by the time you get to reading this blog, and checking the link - it's live again. At this point in time - this is unsurpassed customer support. That is true - unless you are Eli Lilly. Anybody who consistently drops customer calls is (without contest) the cheekiest monkey in customer support.
As it stands, uber urgent customer support is unavailable from ALL 3 insulin analogue manufacturers after hours. I wholeheartedly believe these companies will follow-through on responding to my questions. To keep you informed, as a person with insulin-dependent diabetes - please SUBSCRIBE to "Allies Voice". The answers to my questions should be arriving any day...I hope!
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After numerous attempts over the years at finding another blogger like myself, I fell upon your blog the other day. Finally, someone out there just like myself. Facing the same life situations as I do as an insulin dependent diabetic. I have not had the pleasure of reading all of your blog entries but am slowly working my way through them. Thank you for taking the time to keep all of us informed about situations and questions that we have but are not brave enough to tackle.
I have often asked myself if my insulins are as "protected" as they can be. I purchased my glucometer strips a few months ago, and low and behold, a warning. My glucometer strips container, which is supposedly sealed and cannot become contaminated, was not created properly and therefore may give incorrect blood glucose readings. Huh? Are you serious? I just spent $90.00 CAD on strips and they may not give me the correct reading? Unbelievable.
So, to you I give you my highest praise for tackling issues which us less mortals are afraid to touch, question or simply ignore.
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It's a pleasure (and a relief) to finally realize my purpose in life. One of the lifelong struggles I've faced is the inadequacies in "controlling" diabetes. I've been forced to look under the hood -- at the tools, requirements, professional knowledge, scandalous marketing, and undesirable outcomes in spite of jumping through every proverbial hoop to obtain "control". I realize where THIS is going. This being "diabetes" and dare I say it's all going to suit the greed of capitalism. This is why I'm speaking out. Courage or not -- this must be done. People are being hurt. People are being lied to -- and my parents were TWO of those people lied to back in 1985. They were duped into entrusting the welfare of their (newly diagnosed) 7 year old daughter to the nefarious greed of Big Pharma. Today, 2008, these lies continue. The trend of diabetes treatment is in a merciless free fall. I'm tossing a safety net - "Allies Voice"!! Grab a hold
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Hi Allie,
Thanks so much for all that you do!
I appreciate how much you care for others with diabetes. I look forward to the answers you will receive.
My best, Julie
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I'm waiting with bated breath for a response. I suspect at some point I'll have to call again. If that doesn't work - I'll write. If that doesn't work I'll spend the time and gas money to seek answers, face to face. Let's hope the 3 Amigos don't withhold answers to that extreme.
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Allie, so long as the Insulin analogues are not being manufactured and outsourced to China(the country that has the highest history of Pharmaceutical Contamination......eg Heparin responsible for at least 81 Deaths here in the USA because Baxter Pharmaceuticals outsourced to them in order to save $$. In addition they(China) has a poor record in Safety of their exported products such as lead painted baby toys as well as the contaminated protein substitute that went into the making of pet foods and resulted in the Deaths of many Household animals both here and in Europe.
It is sad that Greed is the motivating force behind many of these tragedies. That is one reason why outsourcing to certain countries where Safety is second only to making $$ as being first and foremost.
I don't think that Lilly, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi Aventis would put themselves in such a risky position (I hope not) as far as their Insulin is concerned.
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It need not matter where the drugs are manufactured. Look at Zyprexa or Avandia. Those winners were made right here under our noses. I'd like to demand (for the public captive consumer) we get a promise of uncompromising safety. So far, I see no love. Big Pharma business objectives seem to detract from the well-deserved answers their loyal consumers need. Lives depend on it! Hey -- I may not be a current consumer but I was for over 20 years. Where's the captive consumer love?.
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Country of origin does matter. In addition so does Regulatory Agencies and Prosecuting Agencies to ensure Safety and purity with any Drug that is to be manufactured and distributed to the public.
China has already lost its credibility in the Pharmaceutical Market(with good reason).
Greed is usually the motivation behind most of these Problems.
..........and if Greed is a Human Affliction, then can it really be eliminated?
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Allie--
Please remember these 'consumer' service lines are set up by the insulin cartel. Patients have been denigrated to hapless customers willing to accept lead in their plastics. Ever wonder about what's in your syringes and pump tubing?
Irl Hirsch, M.D.published an article a few years ago in which he stated that possibly 90% of MD's who prescribed the 'modern' insulins didn't know enough to ascertain the best protocol. So, who are you gonna call when something stinky hits the fan?
Remember--as I am sure you do--the contents of today's insulins are un-identifiable. Incomplete insulin molecules, miscellaneous protein molecules (prions), a few extra amino acids here or there don't concern the production line technician on a bad day. Maldi-Tof protein analysis, atomic force microscopy, and most other high-tech analyses are useless. You and I, as patients, CERTIFY the product. Usually, a bad batch that kills patients is conveniently attributed to 'stupid patients,' or heart attack/stroke resulting from 'diabetes.' The insulin cartel calls this a mega lottery. Sadly, it's our mega-bucks 'contributions' that fund their 'winnings.'
Like the ostrich, these "Three Amigos" of diabetes (Lilly, Novo, Sanofi) stick their heads in the sand, show us their asses, and rightly believe that we will do nothing.
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