Baqsimi, (yes, where do they get these names from?) has just gotten FDA approval and that’s great news. Great news. Now, for the first time ever, there will be a fairly easy solution for a severe low.

Baqsimi is glucagon in nasal powder form, delivered in a puff through a nasal spray bottle. No difficulty mixing up dry and wet ingredients like today’s glucagon, much reduced nervousness from the person who is going to spray this in your nose as opposed to stick a needle in your body.

It’s supposed to be on the market in retail pharmacies in a month. Eligible commercially insured people with diabetes can pay as little as $25 for up to two BAQSIMI devices (1 two-pack or 2 one-packs) if you use the savings card. That’s all I know about the pricing. I don’t know if Medicare will cover it but I do intend to find out. And I don’t know if it only has a one year shelf life. If anyone does know, please do tell.

Baqsimi is being brought to market by Eli Lilly after acquiring Locemia, the small start up that began work on the product four years ago. At the time I was helping with the copy and branding. So I am personally delighted to see this product green lighted.

For more information.

Two emails popped into my inbox pretty much within minutes. This was the first from the American Diabetes Association. This gives me a bit of hope we will see insulin prices come down. The second email was from JDRF making the same announcement. It’s very rewarding when you see the advocacy organizations that represent you really in there for the fight. Of course, if you were part of the fight, maybe writing your congress person, pat yourself on the back too. (Since below is a screen shot, the links aren’t live but you can google the appropriate web sites.)

Just a gentle reminder that in these dog days of summer, it’s in the high 90’s in New York and tomorrow will be 100 F, insulin can go bad. The same is true if insulin freezes.

You can see above that I keep my two insulins, Fiasp on the left and Tresiba on the right, in separate vessels. Given how much the pens resemble each other, separating them helps. I also store them upside down so I can see the color difference that also helps distinguish them.

However, I don’t normally keep these containers where you see them. Normally they’re on my kitchen counter. But since I spent the better part of today baking – keto rolls and biscotti – I realized my insulin pens would stay cooler in the living room where they’d also be nearer the air conditioner. So, that’s where they are, and where they’ll stay until this heat wave breaks.

If you’re curious, the little blue and white houses behind them are ceramic gifts you get flying business class on KLM. They contain Geneva, a Dutch gin. Given the husband has flown back and forth to Holland on business the past 17 years, although he normally flies coach, we still have managed to erect a small town ;-). I can’t tell you about the gin however as we’ve never opened one.