INDIANAPOLIS — Eli Lilly will begin testing coronavirus samples, to help Indiana speed up diagnoses.
The Indianapolis-based company said Wednesday it was partnering with the Indiana State Department of Health and the FDA to test for the virus that causes COVID-19.
This kind of situation hasn’t been seen since the 1950s, said David A. Ricks, Eli Lilly’s chairman and chief executive officer. At that time, the company partnered with Jonas Salk on the polio vaccine.
Company officials also said they were working on a drive-thru testing program, but said it was too early to reveal details such as number of tests, locations or other details about the program.
Eli Lilly will not accept money from government agencies, hospitals, insurance companies or patients for conducting or analyzing tests.
“This is one contribution we can make to help slow the spread of coronavirus in our community, and this testing will be entirely free.” Ricks said in a release.
