Frustration with high prices in Minnesota is leading to some with diabetes to make the trip to Fort Frances for insulin.
A group from the Twins Cities did just that last weekend.
Members of the Minnesota Chapter of the group Insulin4All organized a caravan and traveled the five hours to Fort Frances with the sole intent of purchasing the medication.
The Chapter’s Leader Quinn Nystrom says insulin prices have ballooned 1,200 per cent in the U.S. in the past decade.
It’s now selling for $320.00 a vial, compared to $30 in Canada.
During her visit to a Fort Frances pharmacy, Nystrom acquired enough insulin to last her five months.
SUCCESS! -5-hour road trip. ✅ -Insulin purchased where NO prescription was needed! ✅ 1 vial of Novolog in the USA 🇺🇸 = 10 vials of NovoRapid in Canada 🇨🇦✅ =6 happy & grateful ppl w/type 1 diabetes & T1 Mom’s 🙏🏻💙#CaravanToCanada #insulin4all #MNinsulin4all pic.twitter.com/0B0jelAQkj
— Quinn Nystrom (@QuinnNystrom) May 4, 2019
Nystrom also remarked about how accessible insulin is in Canada for patients with diabetes unlike Minnesota where they after often required to first require a prescription.
Nystrom says part of the visit to Fort Frances was to raise awareness with their elected officials of the need to take steps to lower prices back home.
More visits are planned if that doesn’t happen.
