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Local Labs Work To Lower The Cost Of Insulin

Two hands hold a insulin injection.
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Flickr Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Insulin prices have skyrocketed in recent years.

The price of insulin is steep, but people who need it risk their health if they skip a dose.

The Open Insulin Foundation aims to break the hold pharmaceutical companies exert on the cost. The group is working with local labs to develop cheaper versions of insulin.

We speak with co-founder Anthony Di Franco and Dr. Lisa Scheifele of the Baltimore Underground Science Space. Scheifele describes how e-coli cells are biohacked to create a fast-acting form of insulin.

Check out this New Yorker article about the project.

Maureen Harvie is Senior Supervising Producer for On the Record. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and joined WYPR in 2014 as an intern for the newsroom. Whether coordinating live election night coverage, capturing the sounds of a roller derby scrimmage, interviewing veterans, or booking local authors, she is always on the lookout for the next story.
Sheilah Kast is the host of On The Record, Monday-Friday, 9:30-10:00 am.