While Jonas has been filming commercials, receiving a Walk of Fame star, and announcing his forthcoming album, working-class diabetics are desperately attempting to keep each other alive through vast underground supply sharing networks.

Well, it’s kind of complicated, but we’ve done our best to fill you in down below. Insulin Manufacturers Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi (the “Big 3”) dominate the global insulin market by producing over 90% of the world’s insulin supply, creating a three-way oligopoly on the industry. The insulin manufacturers have a history of… Read more: Why is Insulin so expensive?

Mutual aid is a reciprocal exchange of resources within a community, a form of community empowerment, and a radical expression of love. As author Dean Spade so succinctly wrote, “Mutual aid is a form of political participation in which people take responsibility for caring for one another and changing political conditions, not just through symbolic… Read more: What is Mutual Aid?

340b Drug Pricing Program — named after the section of the Public Health Service Act that put this program into action — is a program that requires pharmaceutical manufacturers participating in Medicaid to sell outpatient drugs at discounted prices to healthcare organizations that care for many uninsured and low-income patients. These organizations include community health… Read more: How to access the 340B program and benefits

ReliOn Prime Blood Glucose Monitoring System Walmart’s ReliOn brand has given diabetics in the U.S. affordable options for blood glucose monitoring. This kit is an oldie but a goodie.  The kit costs $9 and a 100 count bottle of test strips costs $17.88. Center Health Duo & Nano Testing Kits Center Health Duo & Nano… Read more: Low-Cost Supplies for people with diabetes

GoodRx GoodRx is a prescription savings platform that can help you find the best price for your medication by searching for coupons and savings cards and also finding which pharmacy near you has the lowest price available. GoodRX is a free service. Costco Pharmacy Many Costco locations also have a pharmacy that can provide discounted… Read more: Pharmacy Discount Programs

Due to pressure from activists, Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk both released “non-branded” versions of Humalog and Novolog, respectively. Insulin Lispro (Humalog) and Insulin Aspart (Novolog) are “generic options”. These insulins are the exact same insulin as their branded counterparts, the only thing that changed was the label. Do not be concerned if your doctor… Read more: Analog Generics