It’s well-documented that insulin is in crisis in the U.S. Diabetics have not only experienced recent shortages of the drug, but they’ve also had to deal with its rising costs. When insulin was first introduced in 1923, it cost only $1 per vial. Now, the price of insulin has risen over 1,000%, with the average retail price ranging from $300, according to the BBC. Given that most insulin comes in weekly vials, some patients are forking out over $1,000 a month for the life-saving product without health insurance.
However, according to TikToker Amir Nosir (@amirnosir8), there’s another reason for diabetics to be wary of health insurance companies, as he alleges that when it comes to insulin pens, these companies are “scamming” you.
“You just had a big meal, you’re going to take your insulin, and it’s out,” he began. “I can’t get any more insulin out of here. What do I do? Well, as you know, I’ve been in this situation too many times to count. I got a little trick for y’all.”
How to get more insulin
Showing his purportedly empty insulin pen to the camera, Amir then proceeded to take the needle off and demonstrate to viewers how to use a syringe to draw out more insulin from the pen.
“Especially with insurance companies being sneaky right now, I figured y’all should know […] there is still insulin in here,” he said. “They’re scamming y’all. They’re shortening us of our insulin. But me, I get every single drop. Look at that. Look how much I’m able to draw up. Look at this: 10 units. 10 units of insulin drawn from this pen.”
Commenters were grateful for the clip, which has amassed 1.2 million views.
“This will save lives,” one wrote.
“As someone just diagnosed as a diabetic, this is wonderful to know,” another added.
Others despaired at the state of America’s healthcare. As one commenter put it, “This whole video makes me sad and angry at what our healthcare system is,” while another remarked that America is “so scary and sad.”
“Paying for insulin in a rich country is wild,” a third added.
@amirnosir8 #trending #viral #fyp #insulin #t1d #diabetes #insurance #healthinsurance #health #insurance ♬ original sound – amir
Amir didn’t immediately respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via TikTok comment.
Update Dec. 17, 4:42pm CT: An eagle-eyed reader named Stacey notes that the tip only works with U-100 insulin pens. As she writes via email:
Insulin pens in the United States can come in different concentrations – 100 units / ml (U-100) & 300 units / ml (U-300 which is concentrated). They also come in U-200 and U-500.
This tip only works with U-100 insulin pens. Most short acting insulin pens use U-100. However, Lilly’s Humalog 200 units/mL KwikPen is concentrated.
If you draw out 1 unit per your syringe it is exactly the same for U-100. If you draw out 1 unit per syringe for U-200 you are actually getting 2 units of insulin because it is concentrated. If you are using a long acting pen it could be concentrated so for U-300 you are actually getting 3 units of insulin…
There is a warning on the long acting pens U-300 box and the insulin pen “Do not remove insulin with syringe.” I would assume this same warning is on Lily’s KwikPen U-200.
However, a lot of people do NOT know insulin comes in different concentrations. And there is a lot of fine print with medication and people miss this. Which isn’t a problem if they are removing insulin with the appropriate pen needle. But, when they remove it with a syringe it matters.
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