Eli Lilly, a prominent pharmaceutical company, has recently introduced a new website-based access program called LillyDirect, marking a significant shift in the way certain medications, including its new obesity therapy Zepbound (tirzepatide), are delivered to consumers. This direct-to-consumer (DTC) approach is a notable development in the pharmaceutical industry.
Through LillyDirect, patients with a prescription for Zepbound can obtain the medication for $550 per month, which is significantly lower than the $1,060 list price typically offered to insurers before discounts or rebates. This price is equivalent to what an uninsured person would pay with a Zepbound savings card. A key feature of this service is the direct home delivery of medications.
While wholesalers and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are likely to remain involved in the supply process for insured patients, this move bypasses retail pharmacies. For uninsured individuals, LillyDirect provides a more accessible and straightforward way to obtain medications.
LillyDirect: Streamlining Medication Access for Uninsured, Bypassing Retail Pharmacies
Lilly acknowledges that many patients face challenges accessing drugs like Zepbound, partly due to a shortage of healthcare providers specializing in obesity treatment. The company also aims to mitigate the risk of patients receiving compounded or counterfeit versions of their medications.
LillyDirect is one of the first instances of a major pharmaceutical company adopting a DTC approach where a patient’s prescription is sent directly to the company. This service is unique in that it includes telehealth access to doctors, patient information, support, and direct home delivery through third-party channels. For Zepbound, Lilly has partnered with FORM for telehealth services. Other contributors to the pharmacy services include Truepill and Eversana, and Lilly may add more partners in the future.
Besides Zepbound, LillyDirect also covers other medications, including diabetes and migraine treatments, through telehealth providers 9amHealth and Cove. The service ensures consistent access to medications and simplifies the process for patients to utilize discount and savings programs. Lilly plans to expand the service to include additional medicines and support programs to aid in therapy adherence.
Frank Cunningham, group vice president of global value and access at Lilly, emphasizes the growing reliance on digital solutions for meeting various needs, including healthcare. LillyDirect is designed to offer patients an innovative, end-to-end experience for managing their health and accessing medicines, aiming to enhance the convenience and efficiency of the healthcare process. This strategic move could give Lilly a competitive advantage over rivals like Novo Nordisk in the obesity treatment market. Novo Nordisk, currently leading with drugs like Wegovy (semaglutide), might respond with similar programs.
Simplify Healthcare Navigation Meets Concerns Over Telemedicine Impartiality
For Lilly CEO David Ricks, the primary goal of LillyDirect is to assist patients in navigating the complexities of the US healthcare system, which can be particularly challenging for those managing chronic diseases. However, this approach has sparked concerns about the impartiality of telemedicine advice, especially if a different medication might be more beneficial for a patient. The American College of Physicians (ACP) has expressed reservations about such manufacturer-focused DTC programs, particularly regarding the use of telehealth services to prescribe specific drugmaker products.
Lilly assures that telehealth providers in the LillyDirect program will not receive direct payments from Lilly and will be unaware if a patient is referred through LillyDirect. However, at-home delivery will be exclusive to Lilly’s drugs. Additionally, other organizations, including WW International (formerly Weight Watchers), Found, and Noom, have launched similar telehealth programs offering access to obesity drugs, thereby increasing patient choices in this sector.
Resource: Pharmaphorum, January 05, 2023
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