Minnesotans living with diabetes will now have access to life saving insulin for $35 a month.
During a press conference Wednesday, Attorney General Keith Ellison announced the details of a settlement reached with Eli Lily, and the deal includes that lower price requirement.
"Every Minnesota deserves affordable access to the medicines that they need to survive," Ellison said at a press conference. "We cannot lose one more person to the unconscionably high cost of life-saving drugs."
As part of the settlement, Eli Lily will also donate enough free insulin, a life-saving drug used to treat diabetes, to satisfy the needs of 15 clinics serving the neediest Minnesotans for the same period of five years.
“Above all, this settlement is a win for the advocates like Nicole Smith-Holt, and many others, who have fought for years, day in and day out, for affordable insulin for everyone, too often through tragedy. Every Minnesotan, whether they rely on insulin or not, owes them a debt of gratitude,” Attorney General Ellison says.
Smith-Holt, whose son Alec passed away due to diabetic ketoacidosis after he was forced to ration his insulin because of its high cost, joined Ellison at the announcement.
"We feel very fortunate that Keith and his team understand just how important this issue is," Smith-Holt said. "With this settlement, so many more people who require insulin to stay healthy and alive will have better access to affordable insulin. Far too often, I hear of people like Alec who are rationing and risking their health and their lives, this program is one more opportunity in Minnesota for diabetics to get affordable insulin.”
Minnesota joined several other states in 2018 in a lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies for overcharging for insulin. Last spring, Eli Lily began to cut prices for some insulins but this sets a price for everyone in the state now.
Any Minnesota resident with a valid prescription for an eligible Eli Lily insulin product can purchase a month-long supply of that product for $35.
Minnesotans should visit here to learn how to get Eli Lily insulin products. MNinsulin35.org will be updated to include the 15 clinics providing free insulin as soon as that information is available.