Texas Lawsuit Against Eli Lilly: Allegations of Bribery and the Case for Criminal Prosecution

In October 2024, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a high-profile lawsuit against pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and other insulin manufacturers, alongside pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) like Express Scripts and CVS Pharmacy. The lawsuit alleges a conspiracy to artificially inflate insulin prices by up to 1,000%, accusing these entities of engaging in deceptive trade practices, unjust enrichment, and an unlawful civil conspiracy.

While this legal action focuses primarily on price-fixing, the allegations of Eli Lilly bribing healthcare providers to prescribe its drugs have sparked significant debate about whether Texas should pursue criminal prosecution rather than a civil petition.