There is good news for diabetes patients. There is now an insulin product available in India that needs to be taken only once a week instead of daily. Pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk has launched its weekly insulin under the brand name ‘Aweekly’. The company claims that this medicine can provide considerable relief to those patients who currently require daily insulin injections or who avoid treatment due to the fear of repeated injections.
Who will benefit?
Doctors have observed that many diabetic patients avoid starting insulin therapy because they are afraid of getting injections daily. Some people travel frequently, while others find it difficult to take insulin on time every day due to busy schedules. For such patients, the option to take insulin once a week may make treatment easier than ever before.
A large number of patients avoid taking insulin
Dr. S.K. According to Wanganu, patients who have diabetes for 8 to 10 years and whose blood sugar level is not controlled by oral medicines, they should start insulin therapy immediately. By doing this the risk of damage to eyes, kidneys, nerves and other parts of the body can be significantly reduced. However, a large number of patients avoid taking insulin, which can lead to serious health problems in the future.
Vikrant Shrotriya, Managing Director of Novo Nordisk India, says that about 60 lakh people in India currently use insulin, but the actual number of those who need it is much higher. He believes the option to take insulin once a week will make treatment easier, encouraging more patients to start insulin therapy on doctor’s advice.
What will be the price?
Talking about the price, this new insulin is much cheaper than many other insulin options available in the market. According to the company, its average cost is around ₹261 per week or around ₹50 per day. The medicine will be available in two pre-filled pen variants: one with 700 units/ml concentration priced at ₹2,611, and the other with 2,100 units/ml concentration priced at ₹7,883. Typically, a patient will need about 70 units of insulin a week, although the dosage will be decided by the doctor based on the patient’s condition. The company believes that this new technology will encourage more patients to start taking insulin on time. This will help in keeping blood sugar under control for a long time and may also improve HbA1c level. HbA1c is a test that measures the average blood sugar level over the past three months.
Are there any disadvantages?
According to *The Indian Express*, there may be some possible side effects associated with this medicine. The most common side effect is hypoglycemia – a condition in which the blood sugar level becomes too low. Doctors say that its risk is the same as taking insulin injections daily. However, the incidence of low blood sugar may be slightly higher in patients with type 1 diabetes. Such patients will need to continue using rapid-acting insulin before meals as before, while this weekly insulin can replace their daily long-acting insulin. Experts say that although this new insulin is more convenient for patients, it should not be started or stopped without the doctor’s advice.
