A campaign backed by half a million people in US to make insulin more affordable amid skyrocketing prices seems to be bearing fruit.

The average annual out-of-pocket cost of insulin for patients in America doubled from US$2900 in 2012 to US$5700 in 2016.

But with 7.4 million dependent on the drug to manage their condition, the American Diabetes Association launched a nationwide petition called Stand Up For Affordable Insulin.

With the tagline, “Insulin isn’t just a drug. It’s the difference between life and death for millions of people with diabetes”, the campaign included stories from patients themselves describing how they skip doses or reduce food intake to reduce their insulin use.