What is the bottom line on Novo Nordisk?
Novo has produced some of the most important medicines of the century — and its US controversies are mainly about how those medicines have been priced: insulin list prices that rose in lockstep, a board decision against cuts to protect PBM revenues, and GLP-1 prices many times higher than in Europe.
Novo Nordisk has produced some of the most important medicines of the century, including drugs that have changed the treatment of diabetes and obesity. Its controversies are mainly about how those medicines have been priced and marketed in the US: insulin list prices that rose in lockstep with a rival, a board decision not to cut prices because of PBM economics, GLP-1 prices many times higher than in Europe, and a settlement over downplaying a mandated cancer warning.
It has now settled Minnesota's insulin case, agreed government pricing deals for GLP-1s and cut some insulin prices. Unresolved issues include state insulin lawsuits such as Florida's, NAION product-liability litigation, and its own false advertising suit against Lilly. Readers should weigh the clear clinical value against these documented pricing and compliance problems.