These biohackers plan to give away their instructions for how to make insulin for free.
A hundred years ago, scientists began researching how to make insulin using pancreases from dogs and cattle. Insulin has been used to treat people suffering with diabetes ever since, but it wasn't until the 80s that genetic engineering allowed for the widespread distribution of this life-saving medicine.
In a healthy human body, insulin is a hormone created by the pancreas that controls glucose levels in the bloodstream. But a diabetic's body doesn't naturally produce insulin, which means the body can't store glucose for later use as energy in fat cells.
Because of this, the fat cells break down and over-produce keto acids — the organic compounds responsible for converting glucose into energy — leading to acid levels that are too high for the liver to withstand. Should a diabetic not have access to insulin, this acid imbalance can trigger diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening condition. This is why monitoring insulin levels and using medicine is critical to survival for diabetics. Subscribe to Freethink for more stories like this. Email Subscribe
Today, over seven million Americans with diabetes use at least one form of insulin to treat the disease, but many are at risk of not getting the care they need. The American Diabetes Association reported that 25% of patients have turned to self-rationing their medication to deal with its ever-increasing price tag. Why is Insulin So Expensive?
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