First, some good news about diabetes. GoodRx is a leading resource for people with diabetes to find prescription savings and information, having helped almost 2.5 million Americans save more than $500 million on diabetes treatments to date. By offering invaluable access to affordable diabetes medicines and glucose monitors, accurate and digestible information about treatment options, and thorough research on diabetes and insulin prices, GoodRx is making it easier for people to afford their medications and adhere to their treatment plans.
Diabetes Has Become a Global Problem
The premier medical journal The Lancet recently called diabetes “a defining disease of the 21st century” and concluded that “[t]he world has failed to understand the social nature of diabetes and underestimated the true scale and threat the disease poses.”1 The Lancet estimates that “more than 1.31 billion people could be living with diabetes by 2050 worldwide.”2 Diabetes has put the shortcomings of health systems around the world into sharp relief for the millions of people living with the condition, and the ripple effects also have high financial and other costs for their families and the countries in which they live and access care.
The Economic Burden of Diabetes in the U.S.
In the U.S., diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases, affecting over 37 million people.3 For those who rely on insulin, being able to access and afford it is critical to their health and can quickly become a “life or death”4 emergency if not administered in a timely manner. While there are recent efforts to curb the prices of insulin, GoodRx research5 shows the average cash price for insulin rose 54% from 2014 to 2019, and only decreased 7.1% from 2020 to 2023.
And despite a bit of relief on insulin costs, there’s a significant economic burden that comes with a diabetes diagnosis. The cost of diabetes6 can exceed $5,800 per year when factoring in medications, doctor visits, outpatient care, and self-care to control blood glucose levels.
Increased Affordability Can Improve Adherence and Outcomes
“It’s incredibly important that people with diabetes take their insulin as scheduled and don’t miss any doses,” said Sharon Orrange, MD, MPH, Director of Wellness, Preventative Care at the Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine, and Medical Advisor to GoodRx. “An individual with Type 1 diabetes will get sick within 24 hours without insulin and likely require hospitalization within 48 hours. Making insulin affordable for the millions of Americans who suffer from diabetes is essential to helping ensure their long-term health.”
Managing a chronic condition can be incredibly expensive and time consuming, so much so that the cost of supplies and prescriptions used to manage diabetes impact which treatment plan patients choose. Karla Robinson, MD, Medical Editor at GoodRx, said “By providing incredible savings and information in one place, GoodRx is a valuable resource for those living with diabetes to help them more easily access and afford the proper treatment they need.”
Making Credible Content Part of the Treatment Plan
While cost is a significant barrier to diabetes patients accessing the care they need, a lack of clear, concise information about treatment plans can be a barrier as well. To help people with diabetes better understand their condition and treatment options, GoodRx Health empowers readers with answers to pressing questions so they can get healthy, stay healthy, and actively participate in their health.
This commitment to objectivity, close attention to health literacy and user experience, and breadth of topics and services across the healthcare journey is part of what has made GoodRx a top consumer digital health platform in the U.S.7 A good example of this is the GoodRx Health Diabetes Center that provides credible, timely information about treatments, medications, common concerns, and more to support readers with actionable next steps for managing their condition. Each article is researched and written by a team of editorial experts, and clinical content is reviewed by a team of doctors, pharmacists, and other professionals who specialize in health and wellness
Sophistication and Size of Consumer Audiences Are Growing
Being a highly credible source for diabetes content—in a sea of health misinformation—continues to attract a motivated and loyal consumer audience. To provide some perspective, during the first six months of 2023 the editorial team at GoodRx saw over 7.5 million views of its diabetes and obesity-related content, which is 400% more views than in the first half of 2022. And nearly 1.35 million views in the first half of 2023 were of articles pertaining to just two branded GLP-1 treatments.8
Beyond diabetes, consumers can easily find relevant content on GoodRx Health on over 450 conditions written and reviewed by doctors, pharmacists, journalists, and other professionals who specialize in health and wellness, as well as resources and tools to manage important aspects of care, including how to access and pay for treatment. It’s clear that as consumers become more responsible for their health, they will seek credible sources that they can return to throughout their health journey, and throughout their lives.
Click here to learn more about reaching and engaging health consumers at scale with GoodRx Health.
References:
1. “Diabetes: a defining disease of the 21st century,” The Lancet, June 24, 2023.
2. Ibid.
3. National Diabetes Statistics Report, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), June 29, 2022.
4. Samantha Wilner, et al. “’Life or death’: Experiences of insulin insecurity among adults with type 1 diabetes in the United States,” SSM Population Health, June 27, 2020.
5. Hanna McQueen, “How Much Does Insulin Cost? Here’s How 31 Brands and Generics Compare,” GoodRx.com, May 8, 2023.
6. “Health and Economic Benefits of Diabetes Interventions,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), December 21, 2022.
7. Qualtrics Brand Tracker Survey of GoodRx users, June 2021 – July 2022.
8. GoodRx internal data, January – June 2023.
