• Increasing cost of insulin therapy in belgium. From a critical analysis of the situation to a search for practical solutions

    Scheen A.J.
    Rev Med Liege 2006, 61(9),617-622

    Abstract : Cost related to insulin therapy is markedly increasing in Belgium, as in other European countries. In the present paper, we will briefly analyze the main reasons for such an increase, integrate such observation within the global context of diabetes management and suggest some solutions to provide best care to insulin-treated diabetic patients at a reasonable cost. The rise of the cost of insulin therapy has a multifactorial origin. It mainly results from an increase in the number of diabetic patients, a more intensive management, in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and a greater use of more expansive insulin analogues. It is important to analyze the increase of the cost of insulin therapy within the global burden of diabetes mellitus. Only a better responsibility of all health care partners, patients, physicians, pharmaceutical companies, public health authorities, could provide solutions allowing diabetic people to profit from best treatments they should receive in order to prevent diabetic complications, by far the main cause of expenses.

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