Diabetic, 27, dies after taking cheaper insulin due to losing his private health insurance
Josh Wilkerson was alone, in the sleeping quarters above the northern Virginia dog kennel where he worked, when he suffered a series of strokes that would prove fatal.
“It’s very hard,” said his fiancee, Rose Walters, 27, who, like Mr Wilkerson, was born with a congenital form of the disease known as type 1 diabetes. “How many more young type 1 diabetes patients have to die before something finally changes?” A few days earlier, Bernie Sanders, independent senator for Vermont, joined a group of people with type 1 diabetes on a bus from Detroit to Windsor, Ontario, where they found insulin sold for a tiny fraction of what it costs in the US.
But with analogue insulin prices nearly tripling since 2002, doctors have begun recommending the cheaper version as a stopgap – a strategy endorsed for “some patients” by the American Diabetes Association in a white paper published last year. “There is a lot of room for error,” she said. “You need to have one-on-one communication with a health provider who is going to be able to guide you through some of this, which isn’t always available to someone who is on a lower income.”
“The high cost of insulin is a concern for those trying to manage their diabetes, and human insulin can be a less expensive alternative, but it may not be right for everyone,” Ms McInnis said in a statement. Mr Wilkerson’s mother, Erin Weaver – whose father died of complications related to type 1 diabetes in 1989 – said her son assured her the medication was working.
Ms Walters frequently checked in via FaceTime. During his second night away, Mr Wilkerson told her his stomach had been bothering him, promised to take the insulin and signed off.She called his phone, but he did not answer. So she rushed to the kennel. There he was, on the floor, unconscious after what doctors later determined were multiple strokes.
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
9 dead, 27 injured in Dayton shooting; suspect's sister among victimsIn the second mass shooting in less than 15 hours, at least nine people were killed and 27 injured early on Sunday after a gunman in body armor and wielding an AK-47-style assault rifle opened fire in downtown Dayton, Ohio, according to police. The suspected shooter was shot and killed by responding
Read more »
Shooter's sister among 9 dead in Dayton, Ohio; 27 others injuredNine people are dead and 27 are injured after shooting incident in Dayton, Ohio, according to police. Dayton Police say the suspect also is dead. The incident is the second mass shooting in less than 24 hours.
Read more »
Dayton mass shooting: 9 killed and 27 injuredJUST IN: Sister of the Dayton mass shooting suspect and her boyfriend have been found dead in a car, law enforcement officials say, and they had both been shot - PeteWilliamsNBC / jonathan4ny
Read more »
Nine Dead, 27 Injured in Dayton, Ohio ShootingNine people were killed and at least 27 people were injured Sunday in downtown Dayton, Ohio, officers reported. Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley confirmed reports of the shooting, saying the suspect opened …
Read more »
At least 9 dead, 27 injured in mass shooting in Ohio; suspect's identifiedJUST IN: Dayton police deputy chief reads the names of the 9 victims killed in the deadly Dayton, Ohio mass shooting overnight.
Read more »
Dayton shooting: Ohio city mourns at evening vigil; 9 dead, 27 injured
Read more »