Eli Lilly — Ethics Grade D+

Eli Lilly receives an overall ethics grade of D+ (38/100) on CancelCo's corporate accountability database. Sector: Pharmaceuticals. Market cap: Large Cap.

Category scores

• labor: 55
• privacy: 70
• consumer: 25
• environment: 60
• humanRights: 40

Documented incidents (3)

• Insulin Price Gouging (high, 2021) — Eli Lilly faced multiple lawsuits alleging it colluded with other manufacturers to artificially inflate the price of life-saving insulin. Patients reported rationing medication due to costs increasing by over 1,000% over two decades.
• FDA Manufacturing Failures (medium, 2022) — An FDA inspection at a New Jersey plant revealed serious quality control lapses, including the deletion of data regarding manufacturing quality. Inspectors found 'significant deviations' from current good manufacturing practice (CGMP).
• Zyprexa Marketing Settlement (high, 2019) — The company has a history of major settlements for illegally marketing the antipsychotic drug Zyprexa for off-label uses in elderly patients and children, despite known dangerous side effects like weight gain and diabetes.

Documented good deeds

• Insulin Out-of-Pocket Cap — Announced a $35 per month cap on out-of-pocket costs for all Lilly insulin products across the United States.

Ethical alternatives

• Novo Nordisk — Controlled by a non-profit foundation, reinvesting profits back into medical research and social programs.