Barnes praised

the pharmaceutical company for working to make its medications available

to needy seniors. "By providing vital medications through a user-friendly

system, our seniors will have access to drugs they might otherwise not

have," he said. "Eli Lilly deserves great credit for the Lilly

Answers program, which will help low-income seniors in Georgia and throughout

the nation maintain their health."

Eli Lilly and

Company's Lilly Answers program builds on the company's long tradition

of patient assistance. Last year, the company provided more than $200

million worth of medications to seniors and the uninsured.

"Lilly

Answers will provide real savings, right away, to Medicaid beneficiaries

in the greatest need," said Sidney Laurel, chairman of the board,

president and CEO of Eli Lilly and Company. "Our mission is to develop

innovative medicines. And for those innovations to be of any real value,

individuals must have access to those medicines."

As the fifth

fastest growing state of 65-plus population in the United States, Georgia

will feel a huge impact from the Lilly Answers program because Lilly makes

medications that treat some of the most common ailments of aging, such

as osteoporosis, diabetes, depression and dementia. The program will make

these medications available for a flat fee of $12, offering seniors potential

annual savings of more than $600 per product for chronic diseases.

The Lilly Answers

program is available to Georgians 65 and older who are enrolled in Medicare,

have an annual income below 200 percent of the federal poverty level ($18,000

for individuals, $24,000 per household) and have no other drug coverage.

More than five million Americans are eligible to receive the Lilly Answers

card.

Seniors may

apply for the program at no cost by calling a toll-free number (1-877-RX-LILLY)

or by filling out an application that will be supplied to physicians and

pharmicists.

Two to four

weeks after applying, consumers will be sent a Lilly Answers card which

enables them to receive a 30-day supply of Lilly pharmaceutical products

that are sold at participating retail pharmacies for a flat fee of $12.

Lilly products

available under this program include:

Humulin and

Humulog used to treat diabetes.

Evista prescribed

for the prevention and treatment ofosteoporosis. Evista replaces estrogen

selectively, building bone density without increasing a woman's risk of

cancer.

Prozac the

first of a new class of anti-depressants to revolutionize the treatment

of depression without troubling side effects.

Zyprexa one

of the leading atypical antipsycotic medications, used in the treatment

of serious mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Georgia advocates

had this to say about the new Lilly program:

"Access

to prescription drugs and the affordability of those medications is a

significant issue facing people with diabetes. For the more than 93,000

Georgians over the age of 65 who are diagnosed with diabetes, this type

of a program can play an important role in improving their access to critical

health care." Nancy Carlton, executive vice president, South Coastal

Region, American Diabetes Association.

"Affordable

prescriptions are one of the greatest needs of the seniors in our community.

We are so pleased that Eli Lilly can make a dramatic improvement to their

lives with their medications. We are looking forward to partnering with

them to help get the Lilly Answers card to seniors in our area."

Patricia Lyons, President of Senior Citizens, Inc., Savannah.

"The Surgeon

General's report indicates that 1 in 5 Georgians have a brain disorder

(or mental illness). Prescribing medication can be a powerful tool in

the treatment of brain disorders. This program will help many people gain

access to these tools." Mary Sloan executive director, National Alliance

for the Mentally Ill - Georgia.

Besides enhancing

the lives of needy seniors by making these medications affordable, Lilly

Answers offers needy seniors access to patient educational and health

screening tools. Lilly also designed the program to make it as easy as

possible for seniors, physicians and pharmacists. This is essential, since

studies show that needy seniors underutilize pharmaceuticals relative

to similar populations with drug coverage by up to 50 percent.

Lilly realizes

this card is not a long-term solution for this population, and the company

continues to support and work toward comprehensive reform that would include

an integrated drug benefit for all seniors.

"Families,

caregivers, communities and companies such as ours all recognize many

seniors need extra assistance at this time," said Taurel. "We

hope and expect that Congress will enact federal legislation that provides

broad prescription drug coverage to all seniors. In the meantime, we decided

to act now in order to provide this assistance to individuals in need."

Enrollment

in the Lilly Answers program is free. The program began for eligible seniors

March 5, with participating pharmacies accepting the card beginning April

1. Additional information about the Lilly Answers program is available

at www.lillyanswers.com or by calling 1-877-RX-LILLY.

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