Today, Eli Lilly and Company, one of the three major insulin manufacturers, announced that it would provide a co-pay card letting anyone with or without commercial insurance to buy a month supply of Lilly insulin for $35 or less during the coronavirus pandemic.

For some families, that can be a savings of hundreds, even thousands of dollars a month, which is significant, especially during such uncertain financial times.

At JDRF, where we see and hear the personal hardships of the type 1 diabetes (T1D) community every day, we welcome this news. But we also strongly call for more.

• The other two leading insulin makers should follow Lilly’s lead.
• Work should continue toward long-term solutions to make insulin more affordable.

For people with T1D, insulin is a life-saving drug that no one should ever have to ration or go without. No one should die because they can’t afford their insulin.

JDRF has been a long and loud advocate on this issue, seeking lower prices, an end to drug rebates and improvements to insurance plan designs, all leading to lower out-of-pocket insulin costs for people with T1D. We are working on all fronts, with manufacturers, members of Congress and other government leaders, health plans and employers to make this happen.

We will continue to fight, passionately and relentlessly, until we have long-term solutions that make out-of-pocket insulin costs low and predictable so that people with T1D have affordable access to the insulin they need to stay as healthy as possible while we work urgently to develop cures.

To get a Lilly co-pay card, call the Lilly Diabetes Solution Center at (833) 808-1234 between 8 am to 8 pm (EST) Monday through Friday.

For information and resources on how to manage T1D during the COVID-19 pandemic, visit jdrf.org/coronavirus. JDRF also provides information and resources at jdrf.org/costs to help people access and pay for insulin and other prescriptions.