About 7 million Americans use insulin every day to treat diabetes, but the price of the four most popular types of insulin has tripled in the past decade, according to the American Diabetes Association. .
Lawyers for insulin buyers said some users said: They go to extremes to get insulin, such as fasting to control their blood sugar levels or deliberately going into ketoacidosis, a serious complication of diabetes, to get insulin from a hospital emergency room. He explained that he relied on other means.
2022 study The Annals of Internal Medicine estimates that 1.3 million Americans are rationed with insulin because of cost.
Co-lead counsel James Checchi of Carrera Byrne Law Firm said, “We have more than six years of experience in this important case and on behalf of the millions of people who depend on insulin every day. We are very pleased to have brought this long and intense litigation to fruition.” for plaintiffs in litigation.
The settlement is still subject to approval by the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.
“The proposed settlement does not include any admission of liability or wrongdoing by Lilly,” a company spokesperson said. It reflects our efforts,” he added.
Eli Lilly announced in March that it would cut the price of commonly prescribed insulin by 70 percent.
The class covered by the lawsuit includes, from January 1, 2009 through final approval, “any person in the United States who paid a portion of the purchase price of Lilly’s insulin products on behalf of themselves or their dependents.” . payment order. Under the agreement, eligible insulin purchasers will be able to obtain and submit claim forms on payment websites.
Upon obtaining preliminary approval of the proposed settlement, plaintiffs’ attorneys will send subpoenas to six of the largest pharmacy benefit managers and seven of the largest retail pharmacy chains in the United States to obtain “transaction data” that will be used to validate the settlement claims. will be collected.
“Our experts believe that between the $13.5 million settlement and the four-year cap, which would allow consumers to pay four months for insulin,” said Steve Berman, co-lead attorney for the court-appointed lawsuit. We estimate that it will save us $500 million a year.” Buyers of insulin in litigation.
