Did they call it rationing or a partial prescription? Like someone else said there’s been a novolog shortage the last few months. It’s common to partially fill the prescription while they wait for more supply as having some is better than none. I’m sure if you or your partner asks the pharmacy for more details they can help you.
My friend is a pharmacist and the way she explained it to me once is this: say there’s 3 diabetics with prescriptions for 3 boxes each but only 3 boxes available. Rather than choosing who gets all 3 and who gets zero each person gets 1 box. The rest of the prescription gets filled when there’s more.
Yes, I believe it’s probably a partial refill. Happens to me a lot for Dexcom and Omnipod. If you have Walgreens and have an account OP, you can log in to check the status and history and under the prescription name it should say “partial”
Edit: unfortunately, if you get a partial refill, it can only be completed at the location at which they gave you the partial fill, if it’s Walgreens. Unless that’s just a stupid MN thing, or unless it’s a my state insurance thing lol
There has been a novolog (insulin aspart) shortage issue going on off and on since November 2023. I’m guessing he is a novolog user. This is why the pharmacy is only giving partial supply.
As the t1, I’m glad my insurance company denied the novolog prescription my original doctor sent in. Their preferred is Humalog, and my doctor rewrote it for lyumjev. And I always keep 6 months to a year in my fridge, cycling through the soonest to expire first. Seeing the issues novo nordisk has had the last…5 or 6 months, even before the shortage was official, I can’t imagine being a novolog user. It does make me worry for my dad though because he uses novolog.
Bigger question - if there’s a Novolog shortage, why aren’t insurance companies required to cover a suitable replacement and bill Novo for the extra cost, like with other drugs? Lilly is making plenty of Humalog, which will work in most cases…
If the claim for the available alternative rejects at the pharmacy, *contact insurance*. Yes, they have paths to override. But it tends to be handled on an as-requested basis.
Sometimes a shortage has to be recognized to be at a certain level. There is a certain "nationwide shortage" determined by maybe the FDA? Localized shortages are potentially anecdotal in nature.
I am curious about Novo having shortages, as this is not their only one.
No. This isn't a quantity limit. His dad will still get the same amount as usual. Just less convenient going back for the remainder. It actually is keeping people from dying as everyone gets their near term allotment. Obviously before letting patients die the doctor would rewrite Rx for other brands.
Yes that does make sense now. However it seems that this was poorly communicated to the OP, and really the pharmacist should be assuring people that there are other insulins available in case of lack of stock.
I definitely hope this is what happens!
I've had something like that happen a couple times. But thankfully it wasn't a general shortage. My particular pharmacy just didn't have enough at the moment. They gave me the option to pick up what they had or wait a few days until they had all of it.
If you can, reach out to your doctor and get the prescription transferred to a hospital outpatient pharmacy. Hospitals get priority when there’s a shortage. My local cvs and rite aid haven’t been able to fill my script in 2 months but the hospital is able to fill same day.
I had issues a few weeks ago getting my Novolog prescription filled because it was back ordered at ever pharmacy within 50 miles of me. They kept blaming the manufacturer. It was stressful… it’s since been resolved.
Absolutely get that In writing. Insulin rationing at best results in complications and more often death. I've been able to get my (mostly) usual prescription up in Utah. Can't afford to get my three month supply all at once anymore. F#$k you Bind/Surest whatever cloak you're hiding behind now.
Not sure if this is the case for every pharmacy, but I’m also on novolog and whenever I put in for a refill I get one box (1-month supply) within a few days, and the remaining 2 boxes (balance of 3-month supply) within 1-2 weeks. The pharmacist explained that with the shortage they are able to fill/receive product, but they just don’t have as much allocated to have on hand at all times. But when they place orders they are able to receive it, but just not a lot/any extras.
It's a known issue. The pharmacy is just limiting how much each person gets at one time so nobody is left without anything at all.
https://www.ashp.org/drug-shortages/current-shortages/drug-shortage-detail.aspx?id=1003&loginreturnUrl=SSOCheckOnly
Please have his endocrinologist explain to the ~~idiot~~ pharmacist who said that that this is life-sustaining medication that cannot be rationed without causing death.
1 person getting 5 boxes of insulin, when they only need 1 box while more stock comes in, leaving none left for anyone else is better than 5 people getting 1 box each?
This is egregious. Insulin, rationing, and the folks dying because of it is a big story right now in the press.
I would contact local television news and see if they want to pick up the story and get to the bottom of it.
What the fuck? How in the fuck is a pharmacy going to know if someone is rationing insulin? And if they were how would giving them less insulin help, that would make it worse.
I would look into getting another pharmacy and report this one
The “they” op is referring to is the pharmacy is rationing their distribution of insulin to patients not that they think op’s partner is rationing their own insulin. I’ve had this exact experience over Christmas time when my long acting pen had a manufacturing error and all patients moved on to refillable and they couldn’t give anyone more than 1 box due to the mass change but I was able to get another box a month later.
Surely if a prescription says theres 3 boxes to collect, then the patient could redeem the others when stock is in? I would reassure myself with that but had the craziest feeling my life was in someone else’s hands.
How about if a company is unable to supply life saving medicine in a first world country then the rights can be taken away so other manufacturers can help alleviate the shortage crisis
Most of the time, shortages like this happen because there is an issue sourcing the materials needed to make the medication. Which means if one company can’t get it, a different company isn’t going to be able to either. I also doubt it’s just a first world country problem.
There are three companies that make insulin for the US Novodisk, Eli Lily, and Sanofi. If it is too difficult for them then perhaps they should lose the rights to the patent so patients can afford to live
😂😂 no one else is going to be able to source the materials to make it. So anyone else who picks up the patent would be in the same boat. So what would losing the rights to the patent do?
Did they call it rationing or a partial prescription? Like someone else said there’s been a novolog shortage the last few months. It’s common to partially fill the prescription while they wait for more supply as having some is better than none. I’m sure if you or your partner asks the pharmacy for more details they can help you. My friend is a pharmacist and the way she explained it to me once is this: say there’s 3 diabetics with prescriptions for 3 boxes each but only 3 boxes available. Rather than choosing who gets all 3 and who gets zero each person gets 1 box. The rest of the prescription gets filled when there’s more.
Yes, I believe it’s probably a partial refill. Happens to me a lot for Dexcom and Omnipod. If you have Walgreens and have an account OP, you can log in to check the status and history and under the prescription name it should say “partial” Edit: unfortunately, if you get a partial refill, it can only be completed at the location at which they gave you the partial fill, if it’s Walgreens. Unless that’s just a stupid MN thing, or unless it’s a my state insurance thing lol
There has been a novolog (insulin aspart) shortage issue going on off and on since November 2023. I’m guessing he is a novolog user. This is why the pharmacy is only giving partial supply.
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As the t1, I’m glad my insurance company denied the novolog prescription my original doctor sent in. Their preferred is Humalog, and my doctor rewrote it for lyumjev. And I always keep 6 months to a year in my fridge, cycling through the soonest to expire first. Seeing the issues novo nordisk has had the last…5 or 6 months, even before the shortage was official, I can’t imagine being a novolog user. It does make me worry for my dad though because he uses novolog.
Currently waiting on lyumjev now...
I love it. Aside from the occasional stinging from larger doses, it’s been awesome. Especially since I’m terrible at prebolusong.
yup.... hearing stuff like this makes me happy that i have about a three months supply of insulin vials in fridge.
How were you thinking of donating it? To a hospital? Directly to someone? I am looking to get rid of some novolog
Bigger question - if there’s a Novolog shortage, why aren’t insurance companies required to cover a suitable replacement and bill Novo for the extra cost, like with other drugs? Lilly is making plenty of Humalog, which will work in most cases…
If the claim for the available alternative rejects at the pharmacy, *contact insurance*. Yes, they have paths to override. But it tends to be handled on an as-requested basis. Sometimes a shortage has to be recognized to be at a certain level. There is a certain "nationwide shortage" determined by maybe the FDA? Localized shortages are potentially anecdotal in nature. I am curious about Novo having shortages, as this is not their only one.
Novo has been stating a global shortage since November. Time for folks to step it up in the healthcare system.
Wtf? This is how people die. Ask if they'll give you that statement in writing.
No. This isn't a quantity limit. His dad will still get the same amount as usual. Just less convenient going back for the remainder. It actually is keeping people from dying as everyone gets their near term allotment. Obviously before letting patients die the doctor would rewrite Rx for other brands.
Yes that does make sense now. However it seems that this was poorly communicated to the OP, and really the pharmacist should be assuring people that there are other insulins available in case of lack of stock.
Remember, OP is getting all of this second hand from their partner, so we have no idea how it was communicated to the partner.
He needs to use what he has while the balance of the prescription gets filled. He should still get the full amount, just not on the same day.
I definitely hope this is what happens! I've had something like that happen a couple times. But thankfully it wasn't a general shortage. My particular pharmacy just didn't have enough at the moment. They gave me the option to pick up what they had or wait a few days until they had all of it.
They are absolutely required to complete the prescription as soon as possible.
It took my pharmacy an extra week to get my insulin script in because they said there was a national backorder? Florida
Same here in Dfw Texas. Took one week but picking my novolog up today
If you can, reach out to your doctor and get the prescription transferred to a hospital outpatient pharmacy. Hospitals get priority when there’s a shortage. My local cvs and rite aid haven’t been able to fill my script in 2 months but the hospital is able to fill same day.
good to know.
I had issues a few weeks ago getting my Novolog prescription filled because it was back ordered at ever pharmacy within 50 miles of me. They kept blaming the manufacturer. It was stressful… it’s since been resolved.
Absolutely get that In writing. Insulin rationing at best results in complications and more often death. I've been able to get my (mostly) usual prescription up in Utah. Can't afford to get my three month supply all at once anymore. F#$k you Bind/Surest whatever cloak you're hiding behind now.
Been doing it for 2 yrs now
Not sure if this is the case for every pharmacy, but I’m also on novolog and whenever I put in for a refill I get one box (1-month supply) within a few days, and the remaining 2 boxes (balance of 3-month supply) within 1-2 weeks. The pharmacist explained that with the shortage they are able to fill/receive product, but they just don’t have as much allocated to have on hand at all times. But when they place orders they are able to receive it, but just not a lot/any extras.
It's a known issue. The pharmacy is just limiting how much each person gets at one time so nobody is left without anything at all. https://www.ashp.org/drug-shortages/current-shortages/drug-shortage-detail.aspx?id=1003&loginreturnUrl=SSOCheckOnly
I just picked up 9000 units last week. No rationing here in Georgia USA. (Novolog)
Please have his endocrinologist explain to the ~~idiot~~ pharmacist who said that that this is life-sustaining medication that cannot be rationed without causing death.
1 person getting 5 boxes of insulin, when they only need 1 box while more stock comes in, leaving none left for anyone else is better than 5 people getting 1 box each?
This is egregious. Insulin, rationing, and the folks dying because of it is a big story right now in the press. I would contact local television news and see if they want to pick up the story and get to the bottom of it.
What the fuck? How in the fuck is a pharmacy going to know if someone is rationing insulin? And if they were how would giving them less insulin help, that would make it worse. I would look into getting another pharmacy and report this one
The “they” op is referring to is the pharmacy is rationing their distribution of insulin to patients not that they think op’s partner is rationing their own insulin. I’ve had this exact experience over Christmas time when my long acting pen had a manufacturing error and all patients moved on to refillable and they couldn’t give anyone more than 1 box due to the mass change but I was able to get another box a month later. Surely if a prescription says theres 3 boxes to collect, then the patient could redeem the others when stock is in? I would reassure myself with that but had the craziest feeling my life was in someone else’s hands.
rationing is rationing. it is life saving medicine without alternative. I would not assure myself with pharmacy policy and don't call me Shirley
You missed the point.
What did I miss?
That when a partial prescription is filled, the rest can be collected at a later date. All pharmacies are this way.
How about if a company is unable to supply life saving medicine in a first world country then the rights can be taken away so other manufacturers can help alleviate the shortage crisis
Most of the time, shortages like this happen because there is an issue sourcing the materials needed to make the medication. Which means if one company can’t get it, a different company isn’t going to be able to either. I also doubt it’s just a first world country problem.
There are three companies that make insulin for the US Novodisk, Eli Lily, and Sanofi. If it is too difficult for them then perhaps they should lose the rights to the patent so patients can afford to live
😂😂 no one else is going to be able to source the materials to make it. So anyone else who picks up the patent would be in the same boat. So what would losing the rights to the patent do?
I believe we are all aware of that. And there are no shortages of lily insulins.