Insulin for All

UX Research + Design

About

Millions of Americans who have Type 1 diabetes require daily insulin injections to live. Over the last 10 years, the cost of insulin has skyrocketed. For many without financial stability or who are underinsured, this causes insulin insecurity, stress, and lower quality of life.

Our team of graduate student UX researchers and designers in the Interaction Design course and Design Management course set out to find out why and what could be done.
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My Contributions

As the sole member of both Interaction and Design Management teams, I coordinated meetings, communicated progress, and set much of the big picture scope for this project.
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I Facilitated working meetings and contributed to each step in the process from research to wire framing, market analysis to business design. Additionally, I reached out to multiple organizations, ultimately organizing a partnership with T1 International‍

View the 56 page report here

Objectives

Human Centered Design

Research the context of availability and affordability of chemically synthesized and produced Insulin in the US as it impacts the daily experience of uninsured or underinsured type 1 diabetics.
Document the barriers to insulin access relative to other nations, and the systemic factors contributing to this problem in the US.
Explore opportunities for facilitating insulin access and possible technical aids for improving T1 diabetes self-care.

There are 7.5 million diabetics in the US who require insulin to live. The cost of biosimilar insulin can cost $2,000/month with the average insured user paying $500/month out of pocket. This has increased 1000% since 2009 when the average retail cost was $100/month and $35/month out of pocket. While the cost of manufacturing has not increased 15%.

Problem

Insulin Oligopoly

Due to the COVID 19 lockdown, all of our research was done remotely.

We conducted market analysis of the 3 main pharmaceutical companies, pharmacies, and insurance agencies; reading company financial reports, lobbying disclosures, lawsuit filings, and more.

Our 200+ hours of Human Centered Design research involved testimonials found through advocacy groups, bloggers, vloggers, social media, and many interviews with our subject matter experts. We wrote, tested, and distributed a survey with 70 respondants who identified as type 1 diabetics and analyzed the results.

2x2 matrixes, needs clustering, observational data sorting, and persona building painted a picture of normal people who are one medical emergency, layoff, or mechanic bill away from not having the insulin they need to survive.

We found the #Insulin4All network of diabetics who save lives everyday. A loosely organized group who do all the networking longhand. This is the direction where we focused our attentions.

Up to 26% of T1 diabetics face insulin insecurity annually.
There are only three manufacturers for the entire US supply of insulin.
Three main pharmacy distributers submit claims to the three insurers that service 85% of the US market.
Three Pharmaceutical Business Managers (PBM) who act as negotiating patient advocates between insurers and pharmacies. Designed to protect patients from price gouging and monopolies.
Our research found that all the manufacturers and pharmacies are price fixing by negotiating with the PBM's for cash rebates (that don't show up on their income statements), causing retail prices and executive bonuses to skyrocket.

Research

Quantitative + Qualitative

The astronomical rise in cost of insulin is the result of multiple systemic problems. Policy, greed, and opportunism are rampant and infuriating but outside of the scope of our project.

We zeroed on developing a wireframe mutual aid network that on the front end distributed educational material, manufacturer coupons, anything that was proactively helping keep people alive. On the back end, we built a private social platform that connected diabetics or doctors who had excess insulin with people who were in danger of running out before they could afford their next prescription.

Solution

Putting People First

Finally, we looked forward by laying out a business plan, proposed next steps, and funding availabilities for this project. We focused on traditional funding models including charity, crowdfunding, corporate philanthropy, and seed/series A/B fundraising options.

Business Model

Putting People First

Presenting to members of both the T1 International and #Insulin4All network, our research and deliverables were applauded. We submitted our findings to our national policy makers to no response despite presidential support for diabetic medication relief.

This was a difficult project. Emotionally, it was hard to watch people struggle to get life saving medication while the executive bonuses for the manufacturers, distributers, and insurers were all in the 8 figures.

Our partners in T1 International and the #Insulin4All network work crucial to giving us feedback on our UX design ideas.

In hindsight, I learned a lot about wicked problems and human toll that they take. They key for me as a researcher and a designer is that our methods and processes are crucial for people who face dire accessibility and affordability issues.

Wrap Up + Reflection