Many Americans depend on life-saving drugs to achieve and maintain some degree of a quality of life. Some medical conditions can be debilitating or life threatening, so it is critical that these individuals have access to their medications when needed.

Diabetes is one notable chronic condition that requires long-term treatment, and ultimately individuals transition to the use of insulin therapy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that as many as 29 million American have some form of diabetes.

To the shock of many consumers, the price of insulin more than tripled between the years of 2002 and 2013, according to a new study in JAMA. The price of a millimeter of insulin increased from $4.34 to $12.92 in the 11-year time span as many companies have been competing to introduce new or updated insulin therapies, each with a novel approach to managing diabetes.

The topic of drug prices is one that has impacted both pharmaceutical companies and consumers. One of the more recent issues that brought this to the forefront was the 5,000 percent increase of daraparim overnight (from $13.50 to $750 per tablet).

The price for the decade-old drug ultimately went back down after a public outcry, but the case highlights the erratic nature in which prices can decrease or increase for consumers. The escalating price of drugs in the United States has become an ever-present issue within the last few years, and each year brings new price increases for patients.

The analysis of the insulin price increase over the 11-year time span demonstrates a common new trend — old drugs that are experiencing price fluctuations. While the price increase of insulin occurred over several years and not overnight, it can be viewed by some as another barrier that patients will have to face when it comes to gaining access to this life-saving drug.

When compared to other diabetes drugs, insulin demonstrated the most significant price increase, which is disheartening for those individuals who are no longer able to afford the insulin as the prices continue to rise. The result of this national pricing data on insulin — as well as other analyses that have been released over the years — only serves to further the debate on the rising cost of medications across the U.S.

Many Americans currently face the difficulty of not being able to pay for their medications, which is impacting the management of their diabetes as they turn to measures such as stretching out the medication or simply going without. These strategies ultimately do harm, as more patients are admitted into hospitals for conditions related to their diabetes.

It is critical that more cost-effective measures are taken to help balance the increasing prices of drugs, and this can come in the form of collaboration between government and pharmaceutical companies.