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By Associated press
A half price version of Eli Lilly's popular insulin Humalog is now available, following the company's promise in March to offer diabetics a more affordable option despite fierce criticism of the soaring prices of insulin.
Lilly, one of the top three insulin manufacturers, announced Wednesday that it has started selling its own generic version of Humalog U-100 under the chemical name Insulin Lispro.
The Indianapolis drug maker said that lispro insulin would cost $ 137.35 per vial, or $ 265.20 for a five-pack Kwik Pen, an option easier to inject.
These figures represent half of the price Lilly posted for Humalog. Fast-acting insulin, which diabetics inject shortly before each meal, is used by approximately 700,000 Americans.
Lilly said the biggest savings would go to patients who are uninsured, who have high deductible health insurance or who benefit from a Medicare Part D plan.
Insurers generally pay much less than the price posted to drug manufacturers, but many patients must pay a percentage of the total price or the total amount until they reach the annual deductible of their drug program. health.
Insulin lispro being identical to Humalog, pharmacists will be able to replace the generics sold at half price. However, Lilly noted that some patients would still pay less for Humalog than for insulin lispro, depending on their insurance plan.
Diabetic patients do not produce enough insulin to control their blood sugar, or their body uses insulin inefficiently, forcing them to inject the hormone several times a day.
The average price of insulin has almost tripled from 2002 to 2013 and has increased by 10% or more per year since then, forcing many diabetics to ration their insulin. Some ended up in hospitals and some died, which led to congressional hearings on the issue.
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