Key changes:
- Updated: "Public and private actors continue to take aggressive steps to control expenditures for pharmaceuticals by placing restrictions on pricing and reimbursement for, and patient access to, our medicines."
- Updated: "In November 2025, we announced preliminary voluntary agreements with the U.S."
- Updated: "The effect of reducing prices and reimbursement for certain of our products impacts our business and consolidated results of operations."
- Updated: "In addition, government price reporting and payment regulations are complex, and require ongoing assessment of the methods by which we calculate and report pricing."
- Updated: "For more details, see Item 1, "Business—Regulations and Private Payer Actions Affecting Pharmaceutical Pricing, Reimbursement, and Access," Item 7, "Management's Discussion and Analysis—Executive Overview—Other Matters—Trends Affecting Pharmaceutical Pricing, Reimbursement, and Access and Certain Other Regulatory Developments," and Item 8, "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data—Note 16: Contingencies.""
Current (2026):
Public and private actors continue to take aggressive steps to control expenditures for pharmaceuticals by placing restrictions on pricing and reimbursement for, and patient access to, our medicines. These pressures have negatively affected and we expect will continue to…
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Public and private actors continue to take aggressive steps to control expenditures for pharmaceuticals by placing restrictions on pricing and reimbursement for, and patient access to, our medicines. These pressures have negatively affected and we expect will continue to negatively affect our consolidated results of operations. Governments and private actors worldwide are demanding greater commercial and clinical value from pharmaceutical companies in the form of strong product differentiation and demonstrated value. We continue to experience scrutiny on the pricing of current and potential products due to, among other factors, payer concern over projected growth in demand and, for certain of these drugs, the anticipated duration of treatment. We have also observed scrutiny of pricing and access disparities across jurisdictions. In November 2025, we announced preliminary voluntary agreements with the U.S. government in which, among other arrangements, we agreed to implement measures to lower Medicaid and certain other drug prices for U.S. patients and to launch new medicines with a more balanced pricing approach across developed nations. We face risks and uncertainty associated with these arrangements and negotiating the definitive agreements, including potential delays and the possibility of unfavorable terms related to pricing, access, and other key objectives. Among other risks, we may fail to adequately capitalize on the additional U.S. access to our obesity medicines resulting from these agreements, particularly if the revenues generated from such expanded access are insufficient to offset pricing concessions. Moreover, the outcome of these arrangements and broader U.S. policy efforts to align domestic pharmaceutical pricing with international benchmarks from countries with competing healthcare cost containment priorities is uncertain and could negatively impact our pricing strategies, product demand or access, or competitive positioning across global markets, and may result in reduced revenue in certain markets. In general, securing and growing access for our obesity medicines is an important factor in the success of our business. Among other considerations, payers in various international markets do not currently provide coverage for obesity medicines for weight loss indications, requiring patient self-pay. In addition, patient self-pay sales through LillyDirect represented a growing portion of our business in 2025, and we have launched, and continue to explore, new partnerships and tools, including through LillyDirect, to further expand access to our medicines. Our financial results and prospects are subject to risks related to the level and pace of patient participation in cash-pay markets, which may be influenced by pricing, economic conditions, and competitive offerings, as well as regulatory or other actions that could restrict our ability to benefit from such markets, and uncertainty regarding our ability to secure reimbursement coverage in such markets over time. 27 27 27 Additional policies, regulations, legislation, or enforcement, including because of the regulatory priorities of the U.S. executive branch, state attorneys general, and regulatory authorities worldwide, could adversely impact our business and consolidated results of operations. For example, in August 2023, HHS selected Jardiance, which is part of our collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim, as one of the first ten medicines subject to government-set prices in Medicare (effective beginning in 2026) at a significant discount compared to the list price. In January 2026, HHS selected Trulicity and Verzenio as additional medicines subject to government-set prices to be effective in 2028. Given our product portfolio, we expect additional products will be selected in future years, which would have the effect of accelerating revenue erosion. The effect of reducing prices and reimbursement for certain of our products impacts our business and consolidated results of operations. Within the U.S., state level transparency initiatives, importation rules, reporting requirements, and mandated programs, including the establishment of drug affordability boards with the power to set upper payment limits on certain drugs, have also increased administrative costs, in some cases, compromised confidential business practices and otherwise detrimentally impacted our business. Continued expansion of the 340B program and growth of entities claiming entitlement to 340B pricing, including in ways that may be inconsistent with the statutory scheme and through state laws that purport to mandate 340B sales to contract pharmacies, impact our revenue on an increasing percentage of sales. Changes to the calculation of rebates under the Medicaid program could also increase our Medicaid rebate obligations and decrease the prices charged to 340B covered entities, which could have a significant impact on our business. For more details, see Item 1, "Business—Regulations and Private Payer Actions Affecting Pharmaceutical Pricing, Reimbursement, and Access." Further, restrictive or unfavorable pricing, coverage, or reimbursement determinations for our medicines or product candidates by governments, regulatory agencies, courts, or private actors, including in relation to the IRA, reference pricing, or compulsory licensing, may adversely impact our business and financial results. We continue to experience additional pricing pressures, rebates, clawbacks, and other changes in reimbursement policies and programs resulting from periods of uneven economic growth or downturns or uncertainty, and the emergence or escalation of, and responses to, international tension and conflicts. In addition, government price reporting and payment regulations are complex, and require ongoing assessment of the methods by which we calculate and report pricing. Calculation methodologies are inherently subjective and subject to review and challenge by government agencies and, in some cases, by private actors. If there is disagreement with our calculations, or the methodologies and assumptions underlying them, we may need to restate previously reported data and could be subject to financial and legal liability, which may be significant. In addition, changes to calculation methodologies could adversely affect our financial position or consolidated results of operations in any given period. For more details, see Item 1, "Business—Regulations and Private Payer Actions Affecting Pharmaceutical Pricing, Reimbursement, and Access," Item 7, "Management's Discussion and Analysis—Executive Overview—Other Matters—Trends Affecting Pharmaceutical Pricing, Reimbursement, and Access and Certain Other Regulatory Developments," and Item 8, "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data—Note 16: Contingencies."
View prior text (2025)
Public and private payers continue to take aggressive steps to control their expenditures for pharmaceuticals by placing restrictions on pricing and reimbursement for, and patient access to, our medicines. These pressures have negatively affected, and we expect will continue to negatively affect, our consolidated results of operations. Governments and private payers worldwide have intensified their scrutiny of, and actions intended to address, pricing, reimbursement, and access to pharmaceutical products and are demanding greater commercial and clinical value from pharmaceutical companies in the form of strong product differentiation and demonstrated value. We continue to experience scrutiny on the pricing of current and potential diabetes, obesity, and Alzheimer's disease products due to payer concern over projected growth in these markets and, for certain of these drugs, the anticipated duration of treatment. We have also observed scrutiny of pricing and access disparities across jurisdictions. Additional policies, regulations, legislation, or enforcement, including because of the regulatory priorities of the U.S. executive branch and regulatory authorities worldwide, could adversely impact our business and consolidated results of operations. For example, in August 2023, HHS selected Jardiance, which is part of our collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim, as one of the first ten medicines subject to government-set prices in Medicare effective in 2026. In August 2024, HHS announced the government-set prices for these first ten medicines with Jardiance subject to a 66% discount compared to the 2023 U.S. calendar year list price for a 30-day supply and discounts for the other nine medicines ranging from approximately 38% to 79% below list price. Given our product portfolio, we expect additional products will be selected in future years, which would have the effect of accelerating revenue erosion. The effect of reducing prices and reimbursement for certain of our products could significantly impact our business and consolidated results of operations. Within the U.S., state level transparency initiatives, importation rules, reporting requirements, and mandated programs, including the establishment of drug affordability boards with the power to set upper payment limits on certain drugs in state-regulated plans, have also increased administrative costs, in some cases, compromised confidential business practices and otherwise detrimentally impacted our business. Certain states have also undertaken efforts to codify 340B contract pharmacies into statute or impose other state law mandates, which increase the cost of 340B programs. To date, several states have passed contract pharmacy legislation, which have been subject to various legal challenges. For more details, see Item 1, "Business—Regulations and Private Payer Actions Affecting Pharmaceutical Pricing, Reimbursement, and Access." Further, restrictive or unfavorable pricing, coverage, or reimbursement determinations for our medicines or product candidates by governments, regulatory agencies, courts, or private payers, including in relation to the implementation of the IRA, reference pricing, and compulsory licensing, may adversely impact our business and financial results. We continue to experience additional pricing pressures, rebates, clawbacks, and other changes in reimbursement policies and programs resulting from periods of uneven economic growth or downturns or uncertainty, and the emergence or escalation of, and responses to, international tension and conflicts. 26 26 26 In addition, government price reporting and payment regulations are complex, and require ongoing assessment of the methods by which we calculate and report pricing. Calculation methodologies are inherently subjective and are subject to review and challenge by government agencies. If agencies disagree with our calculations, or the methodologies and assumptions underlying them, we may need to restate previously reported data and could be subject to financial and legal liability, which may be significant. In addition, changes to calculation methodologies could adversely affect our financial position or consolidated results of operations in any given period. For more details, see Item 1, "Business—Regulations and Private Payer Actions Affecting Pharmaceutical Pricing, Reimbursement, and Access," Item 7, "Management's Discussion and Analysis—Executive Overview—Other Matters—Trends Affecting Pharmaceutical Pricing, Reimbursement, and Access and Certain Other Regulatory Developments" and Item 8, "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data—Note 16: Contingencies."