Life in a Vial

“Life in a Vial” is a short film I wrote and directed about type one diabetes and insulin affordability in the United States. The subject matter of insulin affordability is incredibly personal to me. I have been living with type one diabetes for nearly 20 years, and when I was in college, one of my friends with type one diabetes confided in me that she was rationing her insulin and asked if I could give her some of my own. She was incredibly scared and embarrassed to ask me, but she was also desperate and knew that if she didn’t ask, she might die.

Some background info: insulin is a hormone necessary to regulate glucose in the blood, and without it, a person will die within a few days. Insulin was discovered in 1921 by Frederick Banting, and he sold his patent for $1, ensuring that anyone who needed access to it, would have it. In the US, insulin prices have gone from about $50 per vial in 2010, to close to $350 per vial in 2020. That means that if someone uses 4 vials of insulin per month, they will be spending over $1000 a month for their life saving medication.

As you watch my film, I want to ask, “Could you afford to pay the price?” Could you afford to pay $1000+ a month to survive? Or would you have to pay the price of losing your life in order to pay your rent, pay your bills, and provide for your family?

This is a very scary issue to talk about, but we can’t ignore it. AND we have the power to make change. Petitions are being signed, bills are being passed, and money is being raised. We can and we will make a difference for type one diabetics.

“Life in a Vial” is now available to rent or purchase on Vimeo! 90% of the proceeds I receive from this film will go towards insulin affordability advocacy.