The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7228 p836
14 December 2002

This article
Reprint
Photocopy

News summary

Related websites
National Institute for Clinical Excellence (www.nice.org.uk)

Insulin glargine an option for diabetes, says NICE

Insulin glargine has been recommended as a treatment option for people with type 1 diabetes by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence. Insulin glargine (Lantus), a recombinant basal insulin analogue for once daily delivery, was launched by Aventis in August this year (PJ, 10 August, p189).

In its guidance, issued to the National Health Service in England and Wales, NICE also makes recommendations on the use of insulin glargine in people with type 2 diabetes. It says that treatment should be considered only for those people with type 2 diabetes who require insulin therapy and who fall into one of the following categories:

• Those who require assistance from a carer or health care professional to administer their insulin injections

• Those whose lifestyle is significantly restricted by recurrent symptomatic hypoglycaemic episodes

• Those who would otherwise need twice daily basal insulin injections in combination with oral antidiabetic drugs

NICE does not recommend insulin glargine for routine use in people with type 2 diabetes who require insulin therapy.

Up to 137,000 individuals may be eligible for treatment with insulin glargine and the cost of switching all potentially eligible individuals to insulin glargine might cost the NHS around £16m per year.

Copies of the guidance are available on the internet (www.nice.org.uk) and can also be obtained from the NHS response line, 0870 1555 455, quoting reference number N0179.