Actraphane/Mixtard 30

iddt01

Active Member
Messages
25
Mixtard 30 has gone but Actraphane is available and in the InnoLet

What is Actraphane? It is a pre-mix 30/70 insulin made by Novo Nordisk which is similar or near-identical insulin to Mixtard 30.

At the end of 2010, Novo Nordisk discontinued human Mixtard 30 for commercial reasons and 90,000 people had to change their insulin. IDDT wrote to Andrew Lansley, the Secretary of State for Health but his response showed little understanding, or indeed interest, in the effects of this withdrawal on patients, health professionals and the NHS. IDDT and others were particularly concerned at the removal of the InnoLet, an injection device which enables people with visual or manual dexterity problems to self-inject, without which, many will need the twice daily assistance of others to inject.

IDDT investigations
IDDT discovered that Actraphane is licensed and available in Europe, including the InnoLet. We followed this up with the UK licensing authority, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency [MHRA] and we were informed that:
• Actraphane is a licensed product in the UK [MHRA to IDDT, 17.12.10]
• As a licensed product in the UK it can be prescribed by a doctor. A product prescribed can be sourced by a pharmacy through their wholesalers or by contacting the company directly. [MHRA to IDDT, 21.12.10]
So it appears all that was necessary on the withdrawal of Mixtard 30 was a simple change to Actraphane and those needing an InnoLet need not have been denied it.

IDDT Actions
We have written to the Secretary of State for Health, Andrew Lansley asking for explanations to our concerns:
• That the information supplied by the Department of Health and by Novo Nordisk approved by the Department, did not include that Actraphane is a UK licensed product which can be prescribed and dispensed through the UK NHS.
• That we are shocked and dismayed that the Department of Health did not seek information from its own agency, the MHRA, to ensure that the correct information was given to patients and health professionals.
• That 90,000 people with diabetes went through considerable distress and disruption to their lives unnecessarily, especially those needing the InnoLet, not to mention the effects on health professionals and the NHS.
• That the Government’s policy of ‘patients being at the centre of care’ and the phrase ‘no decision about me without me’ appears to have been completely ignored in the case of withdrawal of Mixtard 30.

We await the response from the Secretary of State but in the meantime, we felt that we should make you aware of the availability of Actraphane, especially if you are experiencing difficulties with your new insulin or injection device. I am only sorry that it has taken so long to find out this information. If we can be of further help, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01604 622837 or [email protected]
 

janabelle

Well-Known Member
Messages
816
Dislikes
Lack of choice of insulin for newly diagnosed patients.
Dog owners who let their dogs poop in the street-a hazard for most, but worse if you're visually impaired!
Having RP
GGRRRRR :twisted:
If there's anyway we can help, anyone in authority we can contact to support your cause, please let us know.
Choice of treatment, and honest information about the pros & cons of these treatments is the most crucial tool in self-management of diabetes. Thanks IDDT for keeping us enlightened, I for one am eternally grateful.
Jus :)
 

iddt01

Active Member
Messages
25
Hi Jus

Thanks for your support! Just to let you know our letter has been passed to Stephen Dorell, Chair of the Parliamentary Health Select Committee, so we will have to wait from a response from him but I will keep you posted!

Martin
 

MissLily

Newbie
Messages
1
Have the IDDT any idea why Novo Nordisk chose not to let anyone know they had this alternative insuliin?? sound quite strange that they kept quiet about it and never mentioned it in their press releases. Are you concerned that they plan to withdraw this too - I know they are keen to drop all their human insulins and just have analogues.
 

iddt01

Active Member
Messages
25
To be honest we have no idea why Novo chose not to let people know about the availability of actraphane. We are very concerned that Novo will apply to have the UK licence for actraphane withdrawn, which is why it is important that as many people as possible know about its availability and to try to ensure that patient choice is not curtailed further. If this does happen (and we will fight against it tooth and nail!) it will still be licenced in Europe so people can still source it from there.