Lilly Announced in a press release that they were reducing the cost of Humolog Insulin by half, bringing the vial cost to $137.35. You can read the release here. Needless to say, the social media world erupted with everything from praise to disdain at the news. Me, well quite honestly, it left me scratching my head with more questions than answers. To be clear, and at the onset, if more people can now afford insulin…..GREAT!
Not sure how a vial of insulin costing less elsewhere, and probably everywhere elsewhere, is considered a reduced price at $137.35. I mean I get it if one purchases the insulin here in the United States, the new cost ‘looks’ cheaper. This $137.35 is for those who only pay out-of-pocket and not through insurance plans. Okay—so I ask, what is the real price? Is it REALLY discounted or only discounted to the much over-priced American cost? If those nasty PBMs are not involved, tell us the real cost—-is it anywhere near $137.35?
I have no problem with anyone making money. But when something is so precious as life-cannot-continue-without, I’m stating until we know true costs, we have no idea what is real or made up. Was a competitor soon-to-announce lower costs? Was something happening within the industry that what we are seeing today was/is destined to happen anyway? Is there a difference between Insulin Lispro and Humalog?
Let’s just not be so quick to give out such credit. Not just yet.
To me, it’s either the right price, or it isn’t. I’m not saying that this is not a start, of course it is. You see what I do not believe, is that Lilly is doing this because they care for those who are in need, although to be fair, Lilly is surely doing more than their competitors. Lilly is a business, and they’re answerable to their share holders and if this move was to dramatically impact their stock negatively, it never would have happened, bet on it. What do they know that we don’t.
So for now, take the news, but do not be so quick to think it is about us, those impacted most. It’s not. Not sure what it is, but time will surely tell, won’t it? When I see some transparency, and not before, will I believe we will see some real changes. When I see something needed to LIVE, and without it one will perish; nothing short of making that readily available to all will be enough. It’s not how it used to be. Take all of the complex formulas on this nonsense and throw them out the window. One can make money on the cost of Insulin, that is not the problem, but like the pork insulin of yester-years, so many do not have to make pigs of themselves.
That is, IF they really cared.
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One reply on “Transparency, No Matter What is Announced, That’s All Folks”
Very well said, Tom! I have a funny feeling that there is something lurking behind the scenes. I have a hard time trusting these big companies. I have used Lilly insulins for 73 years, and I am doing well, but there are so many US citizens with type 1 diabetes, and many of them cannot afford even the lower prices. I cringe every time I read about a diabetic dying because they could not afford the high price of insulin.