March 22, 2007

States Turn to Pharma to Help Lower Drug Costs

Today's New York Times has an interesting article on the struggle that the states are having to lower their drug costs for medicaid programs.

It notes that "Many states, looking to rein in the cost of expensive antipsychotic drugs like Zyprexa, have turned to an unusual ally for help - the very company that sells the drug.

At more than $300 for a monthly prescription, Zyprexa, which is used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, is the single biggest drug cost for state Medicaid budgets."

However, some experts in the field are wondering why these states let Lilly help oversee spending on its own medication.

Read the full Story: In Some States, Maker Oversees Use of Its Drug (Free Registration Required)


Comments

I'm the Michigan mental health advocate who described Eli Lilly's pharmacy program as "incestuous," quoted in Stephanie Saul's story, In Some States, Maker

Oversees Use of Its Drug.

As a member of the Michigan Department of Community Health Recipient Rights Advisory Committee, for over a year I've been researching Lilly's pharmacy program

in Michigan and 25 other states. Through a series of FOIA requests, I've uncovered a lot of solid evidence that wasn't even mentioned in the Times.

I hope to hear from officials in Michigan and other states with similar programs funded by Eli Lilly and implemented by Comprehensive NeuroScience, Inc. Feel free

to contact me directly or send me an anonymous tip if you wish. This is a big story, and it's not going away.

In solidarity with the victims of pharmaceutical industry fraud,

Ben Hansen
Traverse City, Michigan 49686

email: drbonkers@gmail.com

Bonkers Institute for Nearly Genuine Research
www.bonkersinstitute.org

Posted by: Ben Hansen at March 26, 2007 09:07 AM

Post a comment

Please enter this code to enable your comment -
Remember Me?
(you may use HTML tags for style)
* indicates required
Close