Improving Affordability of Pharmaceutical Treatments for Diabetes: A Call for Action

Abstract

Unaffordability of pharmaceutical treatments remains as a critical barrier to diabetes care in the U.S. Through a synthesis of recent evidence on affordability of diabetes drugs, with particular attention to emergent reforms, this call for action focuses on structural solutions to improve the affordability of pharmaceutical treatments for diabetes in the U.S. that providers should be aware of and consider supporting. Incentivizing competition in biosimilars and generics markets, increasing transparency, reforming pricing models that influence drug coverage, and expanding federal negotiation of drug prices, among other actions, can help make prescription drugs more affordable for patients, reduce budgetary impacts on payors, and increase access, ultimately helping to improve the health of all Americans living with diabetes.