- Prescribing Advice for GPs - https://www.prescriber.org.uk -

Mixtard 30 being discontinued

The manufacturer of Mixtard® 30 has announced that this product will be discontinued by the 31st December 2010 due to declining demand.

Mixtard 30 is the only remaining Mixtard preparation since the discontinuation of the other presentations in 2007. Patients are being advised to contact their doctor or nurse to discuss treatment options.

This move has caused some concern according to the Pharmaceutical Journal with Diabetes UK, the charity for people with diabetes, stating that they asked the manufacturer to reconsider as it estimates some 90,000 people are currently using this product. A longer withdrawal period was also declined.

Diabetes UK has also made available a list of alternative products (PDF) which will aid clinicians and patients during this transition.

Action: Clinicians should be aware of this announcement and the additional workload it will involve. Alternative treatment options should be considered based upon patient factors and acquisition cost.