Minnesota insulin lawsuit: AG Ellison announces settlement with Eli Lilly

Minnesota AG announces settlement on insulin

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced a settlement with Eli Lilly on Wednesday to cap the cost of low-cost insulin.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced on Wednesday the state has come to a settlement agreement with Eli Lilly about the high price of insulin.

In 2018, the Minnesota Attorney General's office sued three insulin manufacturers, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi, and Eli Lilly, for deceptively pricing their insulin products, forcing uninsured and underinsured Minnesotans to pay high out-of-pocket costs for the diabetic medication.

Over the past two decades, some insulin products have increased more than 1,100%, according to the attorney general’s office.

"Every Minnesotan deserves affordable access to the medicines that they need to survive," Ellison said Wednesday. "We cannot lose one more person to the unconscionably high cost of life-saving drugs."

Ellison announced on Feb. 7 that the state reached a settlement with Eli Lilly, which requires the manufacturer to provide insulin at $35 per month for people with prescriptions and must do so for at least the next five years. The price covers the manufacturers' brand-name products as well as other formats like quick pins, cartridges and vials.

MN Eli Lilly settlement over insulin pricing [RAW]

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison held a press conference on Wednesday to announce a settlement agreement with Eli Lilly over the high price of insulin, which will now cost $35 per month for Minnesotans.

"No one should ever have to choose between affording their lives and affording to live — but the skyrocketing, unconscionably high cost of insulin has forced too many people into that terrible choice, sometimes with tragic results," Attorney General Ellison said. "This landmark settlement ensures that insulin will be affordable and accessible to every Minnesotan who needs it."

Ellison announced people who have insurance could still choose not to use it and get the insulin for $35 per month. Additionally, Eli Lilly will donate insulin to 15 clinics across that state.

Minnesotans can visit Mninsulin35.org to learn more about the savings card for Eli Lily insulin products. Additionally, the website will be updated with the clinics that will receive free insulin to serve those who are most in need, according to Ellison.

The litigation against Novo Nordisk and Sanofi is still ongoing.