Animal Insulins to be Discontinued
February 6, 2006 on 3:44 pm | In Prescribing Extra - Drugs |
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The manufacturer of Actrapid®, Mixtard® and Insulatard® has announced that the Pork versions of these products will no longer be available from 31st December 2007.
Currently these products are only available in 10ml vials and it is expected that very few patients are using these products. Human insulin versions of all three of these products are available and may be suitable alternatives.
The affected products are as follows:
- Pork Actrapid 10ml vial
- Pork Mixtard 10ml vial
- Pork Insulatard 10ml vial
The manufacturers recommend that when patients are changed from one product to another the dose is reduced by 10-20% and a period of more careful monitoring should be undertaken. The dose should be titrated based upon monitoring results until the patient is stable again.
Action: Clinicians should be aware of this announcement. Patients can be change at any point over the next two years should the opportunity present but there is no immediate urgency to change existing therapy.
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