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No insulin for cash strapped Greeks.

  • Thread starter Thread starter catherinecherub
  • Start Date Start Date
Yes me too, and to add insult to injury
By way of compensation, he said the company would make available an insulin product called glucagen, free of charge
Click to expand...
Without insulin, they may have little use for glucagen.
 
Nasty News from Greece

I know this is not a political forum, but I thought that this news story just out today is something that diabetics in the UK ( and indeed worldwide) should know about.

Basically Novo Norodisk have pulled their insulin products from Greece, as the government is keen to reduce their huge medical bill, and want to reduce the price of its insulin by 25%. Norodisk argues that this would create a precedent for other EU countries and would cut their profits drastically. The upshot of this is that thousands of ID diabetics in Greece will be affected. The company says it is only a temporary measure, but imagine the problems for insulin users and their families. Effectively the people suffering are the most vulnerable, and those in need of continual medical supplies.

I personally find this really detestable. Whilst I know pharmaceutical companies are out to make money, and the government in Greece is attempting to clear up their financial mismanagement, those bearing the brunt are ordinary people - and this is really wrong.

All I can imagine is the absolute panic of thinking that your insulin supplies are going to run out or becoming difficult to pay for, or unaffordable. As a diabetic I am incredibly grateful for the NHS which allows me to live a healthy active life, as a full person, without the daily strain of worrying whether I will be able to pay for my medication: worrying about whether I will be a burden to my family. I'm NEVER going to take the health service here for granted.
 
That is absolutely despicable, shame on you Novo Nordisk! :evil:
 
For those that feel strongly about this, here is all the contact details for the UK arm of Novo Nordisk.
The Danish Head Office site is in Danish so I give you this instead.

I plan to e-mail the Company tomorrow, marking it for the attention of the Chairman,
Lars Sorensen.

United Kingdom
Novo Nordisk Limited, www.novonordisk.co.uk
Head of Office: Mr Viggo Birch
Address: Broadfield Park, Brighton Road, Crawley, West Sussex RH11 9RT, United Kingdom
Phone: +44-1293 613 555
Fax: +44-1293 613 535

Email: [email protected]

Ken
 
I have sent an email to some of the newspapers today. Will see if they are interested enough to publish.

Could they not have waited to see how things pan out before they took this drastic, life threatening decision.

I suppose unless you have diabetes or know somebody who does then you do not realize the seriousness of what is happening in Greece.
 
I suppose that the Greek's can obtain other Insulin supplies but it is totally and morally wrong for them to take this arbitary action against fellow Diabetic's wherever they may be in the World.

I have e-mailed them in my personal capacity and not as a Forum Monitor. I suggest anybody who feels strongly about this as I do does the same.

Ken
 
The original articles are unclear as to what exactly they were not going to supply.
This article is clearer and is a bit less disturbing,
http://pharmagossip.blogspot.com/2010/05/novo-nordisk-pulls-diabetes-drugs-from.html

Novo Nordisk has, however, agreed to the price cut on its standard human insulin products, which diabetes patients take out of vials and inject with a syringe.
Click to expand...
I'm still unsure but I think this might mean that they won't supply the newer insulins like levimir and novorapid but will supply the older ones like atrapid, insulatard and mixtard (in vials). I still wouldn't like to be put in the position of having to change my insulin without a therapeutic reason. (and if they are equivalents it begs the question as to the necessity to develop the newer ones!)
 
Thanks for the email / postal address - I will certainly be letting them know what I think. It's a horrible situation because you suddenly realise how dependent you are on these people - I mean, how would a a boycott work? It's near as impossible given that you rely on their medication to, er, live!

Makes their actions even more unfair. And the idea of 'Customer Care' department even more ironic. :(
 
hi Becca.
The boycot is my own personal response to this, even if they are still supplying syringes etc, that doesn't stop the way they are dealing with this being reprehensible. Novo Nordisk don't just supply things for Diabetic's, they are a major healthcare product company. So, if I see something somewhere with a NN label, it doesn't get a look in. :twisted:

Obviously there are going to be people who have to use their products, just that wherever possible...... I personally won't. Much like I don't use other Companies whose ethics I do not subscribe to.

Ken
 
I can't believe that Novo Nordisk are taking this stance! :(

Nigel
 
Cugila - Boycotting non-essentials is a great idea - plus one that will have a real economic effect, and given that it's only money NN seem to understand, it's speaking their "language". Are there any products we can recommend friends to boycott?
 
Not really, it's just I was recently going to have to go on short term Insulin......Levemir was the one they talked about. I would now no longer accept that. I would want an alternative. My own little protest that's all. A drop in the ocean to them probably, but makes me feel better...... :D

Like I said anything that was labelled Novo Nordisk is off limits for me unless it is an essential, one of a kind item. Each person would have to make their own choice. It all depends on what you call non - essential items. If there is an alternative, that's what I would go for.

Ken
 
I can't believe such draconian measures are being taken by Novo Nordisk. If a company can make a decision like that I doubt my little e-mail made any difference but other than being vocal and objecting what else can be done ?

I wonder if our condem government will erm .. condemn the actions of this company and if any other european countries will too ?

I have also signed the http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stop-novo-now for what good it will do :?


All the best peeps.

Richard.
 
Although I do feel for Greek diabetics and how scary it is for them to have to adapt to a new regime, buy in alternatives from other companies or face hyperglycaemia and its effects; and I am very grateful that my prescriptions are free, I do think that from the point of view of NN they are doing what is necessary to survive as a pharmaceutical company.
It takes a lot of money, time and brainpower to advance drug therapies.
If the company were to run at a loss from a national to a global level, then this would mean little or no investment in the future of diabetic care from NN. If the company were to go under then the flow of novo insulin would be cut altogether….
 
The 17 products are not just insulin, there is an oral diabetic medication, Novonorm,( Repaglinide, but this might be available as Prandin) and the new Victoza. It might also effect people without diabetes as there is also a growth hormone (sees to be given to children with retarded growth) and an HRT drug.
They are ,as I thought, going to supply 3 insulins in vials.(Actrapid, protaphane and mixtard)
The more I read about it, the more I think it's a ploy ... they don't want a precedent that other European countries may use when fixing the rates they pay. I suspect they want to get the EU involved.
Hopefully it wont't last long, but thats no consolation if you are running out of your levimir or Victoza.
Novos explanantion is on their Greek website, if you google it the google translate seems to work quite well
(but produces a very long link which I thought I better not put in)
 
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