INDIANA (WFIE) – Attorney General Todd Rokita says he\u2019s filed a new lawsuit against Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Company in an effort to lower insulin prices and improve healthcare affordability for Indiana residents.<\/p>\n
The action joins Indiana\u2019s prior lawsuit against other insulin manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers.<\/p>\n
The lawsuit claims there have been deceptive market practices. <\/p>\n
Officials say nearly 700,000 Indiana residents have been diagnosed with diabetes, with millions more being pre-diabetic. <\/p>\n
Experts say diabetes is the leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, and lower-limb amputations, and a major cause of death in Indiana despite effective treatments being available.<\/p>\n
\u201cPharmaceutical companies should not take advantage of Hoosiers or any other American\u2014this includes Lilly, regardless of its Indiana roots,\u201d Rokita said. \u201cFor two years, I attempted to resolve this matter with them amicably and without litigation\u2014an effort not required by the state and one not afforded to Lilly\u2019s out-of-state competitors.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rokita said Eli Lilly maintains the largest market share for insulin, and he said Indiana intends to be added to ongoing multistate litigation.<\/p>\n
The lawsuit accuses Eli Lilly of participating in a scheme with other insulin manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers that dramatically inflated insulin prices over the past decade by more than 1000% despite low manufacturing costs estimated at just a few dollars per vial.<\/p>\n
Rokita said prior accountability efforts, including Indiana\u2019s earlier lawsuit, have prompted manufacturers\u2014including Eli Lilly\u2014to substantially reduce prices and introduce $35 monthly out-of-pocket caps for many patients. <\/p>\n