South Africa’s public health system has run out of human insulin pens, crucial for diabetes patients, as pharmaceutical companies prioritize weight-loss drugs.
As per multiple outlets, Novo Nordisk, which supplied South Africa with insulin pens for a decade, did not renew its contract, which expired last month.
No other company has bid to supply the 14 million pens needed for the next three years.
Ambre James-Brown, a spokesperson for Novo Nordisk, cited manufacturing limitations and high demand for their weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, which use similar delivery devices.
These drugs are more profitable, with a month’s supply of Ozempic in the U.S. costing around $1,000, compared to about $2 per insulin pen.
However, Novo Nordisk continues to supply insulin in vials to South Africa, but pens are preferred for their ease of use and precision.
The switch back to vials and syringes, phased out in 2014, has caused concern among patients and healthcare professionals.
Meanwhile, the National Department of Health has instructed clinicians to reserve the remaining pen stock for those who will struggle most with vials and syringes, such as small children, the elderly, and visually impaired people.
The global shift towards more profitable weight-loss drugs has left many diabetes patients in low- and middle-income countries struggling with outdated and less convenient insulin delivery methods.
Moreover, clinicians in crisis zones such as Gaza and Ukraine are also reporting difficulties as patients transition back to vials and syringes, further emphasising the need for accessible and user-friendly diabetes treatments.
