{"id":1744,"date":"2024-03-26T15:11:57","date_gmt":"2024-03-26T15:11:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/03\/26\/eli-lilly-warns-of-temporary-short-supply-of-two-insulin-products\/"},"modified":"2024-03-26T15:11:57","modified_gmt":"2024-03-26T15:11:57","slug":"eli-lilly-warns-of-temporary-short-supply-of-two-insulin-products","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/healthyretirementnews.com\/index.php\/2024\/03\/26\/eli-lilly-warns-of-temporary-short-supply-of-two-insulin-products\/","title":{"rendered":"Eli Lilly warns of temporary short supply of two insulin products"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Drugmaker Eli Lilly warned this week that two of its formulations of insulin would be temporarily out of stock through the beginning of April, citing a \u201cbrief delay in manufacturing.\u201d <\/p>\n

The 10-milliliter vials of Humalog and insulin lispro injection will be in short supply at wholesalers and some pharmacies, Lilly said in a statement posted online Wednesday. The company said that prefilled pen versions of those medicines are still available in the US and that it continues to manufacture the 10-milliliter vials \u201cand will ship them as soon as we can.\u201d <\/p>\n

More than 8 million people in the US rely on insulin to survive, according to the American Diabetes Association. Although other forms are available, it\u2019s not always simple for patients to switch between different brands of insulin or delivery methods, said Laura Marston, an advocate for lower insulin prices who has type 1 diabetes and uses Humalog. <\/p>\n

Marston said she gets a reaction when she uses an alternative brand, and she relies on Humalog vials for her insulin pump. She said she may be able to use the prefilled pens for her pump, but her insurance covers only vials, via a complicated step known as prior authorization. <\/p>\n

With the insurance issues, Marston noted, she may seek a new prescription and try out the company\u2019s coupon program offering insulin for $35 for those without insurance \u2014 a complicated set of steps to access a medicine that people with diabetes rely on to live. <\/p>\n

Lilly said in its statement that the company recognizes \u201cthat any supply challenge may cause a disruption in people\u2019s treatment regimens, and we are moving with urgency to address it.\u201d <\/p>\n

People who have trouble getting their prescription filled should contact their health-care provider to discuss switching to the same insulin in a prefilled pen \u201cor other insulin treatment options,\u201d Lilly said. The company also suggested that patients check other pharmacies. <\/p>\n

Those who need insulin immediately \u201cand cannot access their healthcare provider for an alternative treatment option should seek emergency care,\u201d Lilly said. <\/p>\n

More than 6 million units of insulin lispro injection, the form facing the supply disruption, were sold in the past three months, said Evan Seigerman, a stock analyst with financial firm BMO Capital Markets, citing data from provider IQVIA. Slightly more than half of those were the vials in short supply, he said. Humalog is the brand name of insulin lispro injection. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis could be a bit of a problem,\u201d Seigerman said. \u201cFolks will need to use the pens.\u201d <\/p>\n

Dr. Jeff Jonas, a veteran drug industry executive whose son relies on insulin for type 1 diabetes, said he\u2019d have thought insulin \u201cdemand and supply are pretty predictable, so when something like this happens, it really heightens the sense of insecurity amongst patients about the supply of their drug.\u201d <\/p>\n

Jonas said he\u2019d been worried about the prospect of shortages since Lilly and other makers of insulin announced major price cuts on the drugs last year. <\/p>\n

\u201cMy concern as a parent in this whole area is the notion that if you set a price that\u2019s arbitrarily too low, you run the risk of disincentivizing manufacture and further investment,\u201d Jonas said, noting that he has no specific knowledge of what\u2019s driving the situation at Lilly. <\/p>\n

Drug shortages are an increasing problem in the US and oftentimes happen with older medicines whose prices have fallen because their patents have expired but are still complex to manufacture. <\/p>\n

Disruptions in access to insulin, Jonas said, \u201ccan be life-threatening for patients.\u201d He noted that the feeling of insecurity could lead to stockpiling, which could exacerbate shortages further. <\/p>\n

Lilly and other manufacturers of insulin said last year that they would reduce the list price of the drugs by 70%, under pressure from patient advocates and politicians, and after a law affecting Medicaid rebates took effect that would have cost the companies money because of price hikes taken on insulin over the years. <\/p>\n

The companies have also put into place programs that enable patients to get insulin for $35 a month, with or without insurance; doing so for seniors on Medicare was a key part of the Biden administration\u2019s Inflation Reduction Act. As many as 1 in 4 patients has reported having to ration insulin because of the cost. <\/p>\n

Insulin has been a shrinking part of Lilly\u2019s business; Humalog brought in $1.7 billion in revenue for the company last year, down almost 20% from the year before. In contrast, the company\u2019s newer drugs for type 2 diabetes and weight loss, Mounjaro and Zepbound, brought in more than $5 billion and are growing so quickly that the company is struggling to keep up with demand. <\/p>\n

Lopez said the insulin supply disruption is unrelated to those products, noting, \u201cwe take both diseases very seriously.\u201d <\/p>\n

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