Eli Lilly & Co.’s pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Branchburg, New Jersey, March 5, 2021.
Mike Seeger | Reuters
Uninsured Americans pay an average of nearly $98 for a single vial. eli lillyGeneric Insulin, Even After the Company Ends swore to cut from the product price $25 per vialaccording to, report Released Thursday by Senator Elizabeth Warren.
Eli Lilly earlier this year swore To reduce the list price of generic insulin, Lispro, starting at $82.42 per vial starting May 1. This Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical company is one of the world’s largest insulin makers.
A report by the Massachusetts senator said more than 300 chains in the United States will be screened from June 9 to June 28 to determine whether Lilly’s announced price cuts “have resulted in real relief for patients.” Pharmacies and independent pharmacies were surveyed.
A survey found that a third of pharmacies charge uninsured patients $164 or more per bottle of Lilly Lispro.
Seven pharmacies charged $200 or more per vial, and two pharmacies sold the product for $300 or more.
Chain pharmacies charged uninsured customers an average of $123 per vial of generic insulin, compared with an average of $63 for independent pharmacies.
Eli Lilly did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment on the investigation.
The findings “suggest that Lilly’s promise of affordable and accessible insulin is not being delivered to uninsured patients nationwide,” Warren said in a statement.
He said the data also suggests that Congress should take further steps to curb excessive pricing, such as limiting insulin copays to $35 a month for all patients, regardless of insurance status. said to show.
President Joe Biden’s Inflation Control Act currently limits insulin out-of-pocket payments for Medicare recipients to $35 a month.
“My new report confirms that too many uninsured Americans cannot access or afford the astronomical prices for life-saving generic insulin. need to wake up,” Warren said in a press release.
Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) speaks during a Senate Banking Committee hearing at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., June 13, 2023.
Michael A. McCoy | Getty Images
Insured Americans typically pay a fraction of the list price of insulin. But uninsured people often have to pay the full price, which can force them to be rationed or stop life-saving diabetes treatment.
Nearly 30% of uninsured diabetics report skipping insulin, taking less than prescribed or delaying purchases in the past year, Warren said. Stated. 2022 survey by researchers at Harvard University and other institutions.
“No American should be forced to choose between using a life-saving drug like insulin or the ability to pay for food, housing and the basic necessities of life,” Warren said. rice field.
Earlier this year, Eli Lilly Sanofi and Novo Nordisk pledged to reduce the list price of the most common prescription insulin by at least 70% by the second half of 2023.
Eli Lilly and Sanofi have also capped monthly out-of-pocket insulin costs for people with private insurance at $35.
Together, the three companies control 90% of the global insulin market.
The companies’ efforts drew applause from lawmakers, and Mr. Biden was pleased that the companies had finally answered calls to make diabetes care more affordable in the United States.
But Warren’s research raises questions about how effective cost-cutting efforts are.
Approximately 37 million people in the United States, or 11.3% of the nation’s population, have diabetes, according to the United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
About 8.4 million people with diabetes are insulin dependent. American Diabetes Association Said.
