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Health News

Canadian diabetics first in world to access weekly insulin injections

Jun 17, 2024 | 6:13 AM

Many people with diabetes in Canada will soon be able to take insulin once a week instead of once a day.

Manufacturer Novo Nordisk says Awiqli is the first once-a-week basal insulin injection in the world and Canada will be first to get it, starting on June 30th.

Health Canada approved the weekly insulin in March for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

But Dr. Harpreet Bajaj, head of the clinical practice guidelines committee at Diabetes Canada, says it will mostly be useful for Type 2 diabetes patients.

That’s because patients with Type 1 diabetes would still have to give themselves additional insulin injections at mealtimes every day since their bodies don’t make any insulin on their own.

Clinical trials also showed that taking the once-a-week insulin carried a higher risk of low blood sugar among Type 1 patients.

(The Canadian Press)

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