(WXYZ) — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has launched an investigation into Eli Lilly, one of the three largest drug companies in the United States manufacturing insulin.
Nessel is looking into the role some drug companies play in charging overly high prices for these life-saving hormones.
“Nearly a million Michiganders need insulin to survive and for too long, drug companies have been skyrocketing prices,” Governor Gretchen Whitmer said. “I support Attorney General Nessel’s efforts to use the Michigan Consumer Protection Act to put Michiganders first by investigating the role drug companies play in raising prices. I also look forward to working with legislature to cap the cost of insulin."
In Michigan, the American Diabetes Association estimates that 865,000 people or 11.2% of the adult population have diabetes and those with diabetes have medical expenses approximately 2.3 times higher than those who do not.
“The average out-of-pocket cost of a single vial of insulin is nearing $100. No Michigander should have to face that kind of cost for life-saving medicine," AG Nessel said. "While drug companies profit off of people’s health, they also benefit from a current market in which they control the pricing. Enough is enough."
In order to ensure proper accountability, Nessel’s filings will also pursue reconsideration of two rulings from the Michigan Supreme Court (MSC) that hinder the Department’s ability to take action under the MCPA.
