Disasters bring chaos and can change lives in an instant. That's why Lilly works with leading disaster relief organizations to prepare for the worst and respond with our collective best. We do this through disaster preparedness efforts, providing medicines when requested by relief organizations and supporting people and communities to help them recover.
If you or someone you know has lost Lilly medicine due to a disaster, see the suggestions below for product replacement or call The Lilly Answers Center at 1-800-Lilly-Rx (1-800-545-5979).
How Does Lilly Help When Disasters Strike?
Replacement of damaged Lilly medicines
When disaster strikes, the best way for people to access Lilly medicines is through their usual pharmacy, if it's open. When conditions force some pharmacies to close Healthcare Ready's Rx Open portal shows open pharmacies across the U.S.
If insulin or other Lilly medicines have been damaged or destroyed by a disaster, talk with your pharmacy about getting a new 30-day supply. Many insurance plans have disaster overrides that allow for the replacement of destroyed medicine for the cost of a co-pay.
When a crisis is widespread or extended, Lilly evaluates the activation of our disaster response process. It helps people who don't have a disaster override or have a high-deductible plan that normally requires them to pay full price for their treatment. In these cases, Lilly will provide a new 30-day supply at no charge to ensure people have access to the medicines they need. For assistance, call The Lilly Answers Center at 1-800-Lilly-Rx (1-800-545-5979).
Donations of medicines to relief organizations
Lilly has worked with Direct Relief since 2009 to donate requested insulin and other medicines as part of Direct Relief’s Hurricane Preparedness Program. Direct Relief prepositions Hurricane Prep Packs in advance of hurricane season to health centers in high disaster-risk areas throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands. Click here for the specific locations.
Lilly also has donated insulin and other medicines to Direct Relief that are prepositioned at Direct Relief’s Santa Barbara, California warehouse for disaster relief needs as they arise. This allows Direct Relief to provide medicines that are urgently needed following disasters – including wildfires, tornadoes, typhoons, earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes.
Following a disaster, and after medicine needs are assessed and understood, Lilly donates medicines that are specifically requested by Americares, Direct Relief and Project HOPE. These organizations, with whom we have long-standing relationships, work closely with clinics, hospitals, and organizations on the ground to quickly assess and prioritize needs after a disaster. In many cases, these organizations deploy emergency response teams who are on the ground immediately following a disaster.
How to Prepare for a Disaster
The best time to prepare for a disaster is before it happens. While it's impossible to prepare for every situation, the impact of a disaster can be more manageable when you are ready in advance. Here are two ways to ensure you and your family have the right information and medical supplies on hand:
Healthcare Ready's Rx on the Run – a simple, wallet-size card to fill out with your medical information so that you can carry it with you at all times
American College of Endocrinology’s My Diabetes Emergency Plan – a checklist for people with diabetes so they can manage their condition even during a disaster