Govt rejects reports of insulin shortage, says alternatives remain available

Health authorities on Tuesday rejected reports of a nationwide insulin shortage, saying the supply issue is limited to one brand and that alternatives are available across Pakistan.

The Ministry of National Health Services and the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) said that insulin glulisine, sold under the brand name Apidra by Sanofi, is unavailable because of international supply constraints.

Ministry spokesperson Sajid Shah said that other rapid-acting insulin analogues, including NovoRapid by Novo Nordisk and Humalog by Eli Lilly, remained available nationwide.

“All other primary insulin classes remain fully accessible across Pakistan,” he said.

Insulin analogues include rapid-acting, long-acting and premixed formulations, while human insulin is available in short-acting and intermediate-acting forms.

Mr Shah advised patients using Apidra not to change their treatment without consulting their healthcare provider. Switching to another insulin formulation requires careful dose adjustment and monitoring to maintain blood sugar control, he said.

The clarification follows concerns raised on social media about insulin availability across the country.