Global healthcare company Sanofi S.A. has committed to affordable insulin pens for diabetic patients, in a transition driven by the advantages insulin pens offer, including improved dosing accuracy, ease of use for patients, greater convenience and better adherence to treatment.
Over the past few years, there has been a notable shift towards the use of insulin pens in the public sector, replacing traditional vials.
Dr Asafika Mbangata, medical advisor for diabetes and established products at Sanofi, said the company has been engaging with the National Department of Health to meet the needs of vulnerable patient groups.
“A circular has been released by the department, identifying patient groups that would benefit from analogue insulins. This includes vulnerable groups like the elderly, young children and visually impaired individuals,” Mbangata said.
“Sanofi is committed to ensuring that patients have access to treatment which will help control the disease by achieving adequate glycaemic control and, eventually, prevention of complications in South Africa.”
The move to basal insulin is said to be in line with the National Strategic Plan for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases 2022-2027, which outlines specific targets for managing diabetes.
The plan aims to improve early detection and treatment of diabetes by ensuring that 90% of people over 18 know their blood pressure and blood sugar levels. It also aims for 60% of those with high levels to receive treatment, and 50% of those treated to have their levels under control. These measures were designed to improve the management and outcomes of diabetes in the population.
Sanofi said that since May last year, the Department of Health had faced insulin pen rationing, as the previous sole supplier opted not to tender. It said nearly 50% of the insulin required for patients was expected to come in pen sets.
To mitigate the impact, the health department had sourced a limited supply of insulin pens and analogues for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, young children and visually impaired individuals, despite the higher cost of insulin analogues, which offered more convenient and effective blood sugar management.
In 2021, long-acting analogue insulins were added to the WHO Model Lists of Essential Medicines (EML) and had significantly reduced aligning with those of human insulin. Recognising this need, Sanofi said it had adjusted the price of its basal insulin to the cost of human insulin in South Africa.
Long-acting insulin analogues are said to offer significant clinical benefits over human insulin, including prolonged duration of action, more stable glucose control with less hypoglycaemia, and reduced need for multiple daily doses.
These benefits are said to be particularly crucial for patients experiencing dangerously low blood glucose levels with human insulin. In addition, reductions in HbA1c (a key blood sugar indicator) are greater with all basal insulin analogues compared to human basal insulins
It is estimated that more than 31 000 people in South Africa live with Type 1 diabetes and require full insulin replacement therapy, with multiple daily injections. Among them, 5 000 are children.
Dr. Mbangata said insulin pens, which were more accurate, user-friendly and associated with less pain when used with short and fine needles, significantly enhanced their quality of life.
“This is particularly important for children, who are more likely to adhere to their treatment schedules with the easier-to-use and less painful pens.”
According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), 4.2 million South African adults are living with diabetes, primarily type 2. Of these, 84% access diabetes care in the public sector. Diabetes is the second leading cause of death in South Africa, after tuberculosis, and the leading cause of death among females.
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