Uninsured and underinsured Americans often pay the highest out-of-pocket costs for their medicine, forcing many to choose between purchasing the medicine they need and covering essential living expenses. However, the country’s first not-for-profit generic pharmaceutical company unveiled a plan to reverse the trend of drug price-gouging that has become so rampant in the industry.

The generic drugmaker Civica Rx has announced intentions to produce and distribute its own affordable insulin at prices far lower than the industry average. Insulin prices have become a widely debated issue, with an estimated one in four Americans who suffer from diabetes choosing between rationing or skipping doses due to cost.

Civica will produce three generic insulins with a recommended price of no more than $30 per vial and no more than $55 for five pre-filled pens. The generic drugs are biologically interchangeable with the name-brand insulins that traditionally sell for over $300 a vial.

All three of Civica’s insulins will be available to all Americans at one low, transparent price based on the cost of development, production and distribution. The medication will be produced at a new manufacturing facility in Virginia, with the first doses set to be available by early 2024, pending FDA approval.

In related action, Senate Democrats are also reviving their plans to limit the cost of insulin and other medications. Several proposed bills aim to cap insulin costs at $35 a month.

“For years, as millions of Americans struggle to pay for insulin, drug companies raked in outrageous profits,” said Executive Director Fiesta. “We hope that the new generic vials will help make insulin affordable and available to all who need it. However, it is no substitute for real and comprehensive legislation to bring down the price of all prescription drugs.”

Report Highlights In-Home Hazards for Older Americans

Despite making up only 16 percent of the population, Americans over the age of 65 account for 71 percent of all consumer product-related deaths annually. To address this data anomaly, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has unveiled a new report on the safety hazards that older adults face in and around the home as part of National Consumer Protection Week. “It’s a fact that older adults are far more likely to experience a significant injury, or fatality, from the hidden hazards associated with consumer products in their homes than other age groups,” stated CPSC Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric.

Falls were reported as the most common product-related cause of injury and death to older Americans, with an average of 1,800 deaths and 1.5 million ER-treated injuries resulting from falls on flooring annually.

The report also highlighted a number of other top hazards to older adults, including fires, drowning, transportation, carbon monoxide poisoning and adult bed rails.

The CPSC offered a number of solutions for older adults and their caregivers to improve safety in all areas of the home. Some of the suggestions include keeping floors and stairs free of trip hazards, installing grab-bars on stairs and in bathrooms and setting up smoke alarms in high-risk areas around the home.

For more tips on improving home safety, you can visit the CPSC website.

“Accidents in the home can be tragic for older Americans, but this report gives us the tools to prevent them,” added Alliance Secretary-Treasurer Joseph Peters, Jr. “By following these basic steps, seniors can greatly reduce the risk of injury while at home.”

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