A Cheaper Weight Loss Drug Option is Coming
Drugmaker Eli Lilly is significantly lowering the prices of the two lowest doses of its blockbuster weight loss drug Zepbound, it said Tuesday, in a move to expand access and ease supply constraints. Two key changes to how people get and use the cheaper medicine, however, might not be appealing to some patients.
Under the new pricing plan, a month’s supply of the lowest dose, 2.5 milligrams, will cost $399, while a month’s supply of the 5 mg dose will cost $549. That’s down from a monthly list price of $1,059, regardless of the dosage.
The lower-cost doses will be offered only through Lilly’s telehealth platform, LillyDirect, however, and they won’t be covered by insurance, meaning patients will need to pay for them in cash. Patients who opt for the lower-cost doses also won’t qualify for Lilly’s discount savings program.
Excerpted from NBC News
