Eli Lilly will launch a new program in conjunction with Express Scripts to offer diabetes patients lower prices for its insulin products.
Customers can access these discounts through a startup called Blink Health where they could save up to 40 percent off the full retail price at pharmacies.
Humalog, Basaglar, and a new long-acting biologic being developed by Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim will be included in this program, reported Reuters.
Patients would simply need to use Blink’s mobile or web platforms to fill out a form providing prescription details like dosage and quantity of the insulin, pay for the medication online, and then pick it up at any U.S. pharmacy found in Blink’s network.
This partnership comes after growing public scrutiny over the rising prices for the life-saving diabetes treatment, according to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ). Top selling insulins have had their prices more than double in a five year period.
Eli Lilly explained in its announcement that it held meetings over several months with multiple leaders in the diabetes community to discuss the price of insulin in an effort to help create this program.
“The health care system is incredibly complex, and we hope this program is a first step that will drive more thinking and innovative solutions for people with diabetes,” said president of Eli Lilly’s diabetes division Enrique Conterno, in a statement. “A more extensive solution will require leadership and cooperation across many stakeholders, including manufacturers, pharmacy benefit managers, insurers and patients. We’re committed to seeking additional solutions so that everyone who uses insulin has reasonable access.”
Primary beneficiaries of this program will be individuals who don’t have health insurance or who are in the deductible-paying part of high-deductible insurance plans, explained WSJ.
It officially goes into effect January 1st, 2017.
Filed Under: Drug Discovery
