New form of insulin on local market

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33579, 6 July 1974, Page 3

New form of insulin on local market

A new form of insulin for diabetics, now available from retail chemists, might have adverse effects on the user unless the I dosage is reduced, but some people may not realise that they are using the new form.

The new insulin is more purified than previous forms and | creates fewer antibodies, so is more effective. It is described as “monocomponent,” but the only indication that it is the new type are the letters “MC” on the packet of the two varieties at present available. , The packets are otherwise, the same, with colour coding! and unit strengths shown as! for the old forms of insulin. I Nova Industries, of Denmark, make most varieties of insulin used in New Zealand. Two varieties — Actrapid and Semilente — are now sold in mono-j component form, and other varieties made by Nova will; be only in monocomponent! form later this year. LETTER A letter dated May 1 ad-j dressed to "doctors, wholesalers, retail pharmacists, hospital pharmacists,” wasl sent out by the New Zealand distributors of Nova insulin,' saying that as from May 1 Actrapid and Semilente would he supplied only as monocomponent insulin and that standard forms would no longer be supplied. The letter said that although the need to adjust the dosage of patients changing from regular insulins to monocomponent was stated when the products were announced the! significance of the' reduced requirements may not have' been recognised adequately. It was said that failure to recognise this significance might result in hypoglycaemic reactions in certain cases. 20 P.C. LESS Professor D. W. Beaven. professor of medicine at the Christchurch Clinical School, said that a person who took say 50 units a day of regular insulin should reduce the dosage by. 20 per cent for a start and check his condition. All diabetics should J)e

able to control their own disease by regular. urine tests, said "Professor Beaven. If they went on to monoconwonent insulin without lowering the dosage, their urine would show “all blue” when submitted to the usual test, he said. Professor Beaven said that: monocomponent insulin had I been used in Britain for about 18 months and trials with it had been carried out I at Princess Margaret Hospi-. ; tai for some time. He said it ’had. reduced side-effects and was therefore an advance medically. Monocomponent insulin now available locally should perhaps have some distinguishing label on the packets, said Professor Beaven, but most diabetics would recognise any adverse reaction soon enough to correct it before any harm was done. CIRCULAR He said doctors and chemists received so much writ-, 'ten material from drug firms 1 and others, that most would hardly do more than glance at a circular from the distributors of the. new insulin. Five hundred to 600 diabetics in Christchurch would be taking insulin and ■ it was essential that they

learnt all they could about their complaint, said Professor Beaven. One of the best ways to do this was to belong to the Christchurch Diabetic Association.