Laura S. Kaiser, FACHE, SSM Health President and CEO, recently toured the Civica Rx manufacturing facility in Petersburg, Va., to see the advances that Civica is making in generic drug manufacturing, especially its ongoing work in creating affordable insulin at a price of $30 per vial. The move led several pharmaceutical companies, who previously had a monopoly on insulin, to substantially lower their prices.
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SSM Health is a founding and governing partner of Civica, a non-profit which was formed by a group of leading U.S. health systems and philanthropists to create and distribute generic drugs, lowering costs for both patients and hospitals.
“The idea of having affordable insulin in this country seemed like an amazing dream, but one that was out of reach,” Kaiser told Civica employees during her visit. To stand in the facility today was heartening, she said, reflecting on the five-year journey to make it happen.
She also thanked the Civica staff at the facility in Petersburg for their hard work.
“I sincerely want to thank you for leaning in and being a part of this vision and making it a reality,” she said. “I hope you feel every day that the work you’re doing is so very important to the people who won’t even know that this facility is here – they’ll just be grateful for the medicine they’re able to receive.”
