Withdrawal of Mixtard 30 to hit diabetes patients

The withdrawal of Mixtard 30 by pharmaceutical manufacturer Novo Nordisk at the end of this year is expected to cause a great deal of confusion and extra expense to people suffering from diabetes as well as the NHS . The decision could put thousands of diabetes patients at risk and cost the NHS GBP9 million, it has been reported.
A group of leading scientists and academics have written to the Daily Telegraph to warn that the withdrawal of Mixtard 30 will mean a huge upheaval for patients and the health service, especially at a time that the NHS is experiencing major job losses.
The group wrote “We are alarmed by Novo Nordisk’s attitude to people with diabetes who rely on Mixtard 30 and we urge the company to reverse a decision that is not in the interests of patients, health care professionals or the NHS.” Novo Nordisk have stated that they are withdrawing the drug treatment due to steady decline in demand.
With no evidence that the alternatives to Mixtard 30, used by an estimated 90,000 people in the UK, are any improvement, diabetes patients are facing the difficulties of reassessment. Mixtard 30 is recommended by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and is also widely used by children. It is cheaper for the NHS to purchase and apparently just as effective as the newer and costlier diabetic drugs.
Douglas Smallwood, chief executive of charity Diabetes UK, also commented “We are very disappointed about this withdrawal as it is not in the best interests of people with diabetes.”