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Is the world heading for an insulin shortage?

JohnEGreen

JohnEGreen

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A rather disturbing report on the BBC news site.

"It has been called the scourge of urban life. Poor lifestyle and obesity have led to a surge in type 2 diabetes, a condition that occurs when the body cannot produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugar levels.

Now scientists say that millions of people around the world with diabetes may not be able to access insulin over the next decade and more."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-46354989
 
There is another thread about this. but I will try not to start panicking, especially as the link is mainly about type 2 diabetes.
 
Robinredbreast said:
There is another thread about this. but I will try not to start panicking, especially as the link is mainly about type 2 diabetes.
Click to expand...
Oh I see so that's OK then I didn't realize that T1 and T2 diabetics take radically different kinds of Insulin.

And that if T2's can't get it T1's will be fine and dandy thank you very much.

Sorry I did not see the other thread could you please point me in it's direction as for some reason beyond my ken I can't find it.
 
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JohnEGreen said:
Oh I see so that's OK then I didn't realize that T1 and T2 diabetics take radically different kinds of Insulin.
I don't know what make a type 2 takes, but Insulin is Insulin, no?

Sorry I did not see the other thread could you please point me in it's direction as for some reason beyond my ken I can't find it.
Click to expand...
I am sure you saw it very clearly lol just pointing out I did see another post on the same subject.

The post made was predominately about Type 2 diabetes, which we know is mainly managed with tablets, or diet and exercise, or sometimes Insulin, that is a fact.
Or could be that the vast majority of type 2 diabetics will have to take Insulin sometime in the future, therefore that will cause a shortage of Insulin, so not a lot of any Insulin left for other diabetics ? I sincerely hope not :(

Quote :- A rather disturbing report on the BBC news site.

"It has been called the scourge of urban life. Poor lifestyle and obesity have led to a surge in type 2 diabetes, a condition that occurs when the body cannot produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugar levels.

Now scientists say that millions of people around the world with diabetes may not be able to access insulin over the next decade and more." unquote
 
Robinredbreast said:
The post made was predominately about Type 2 diabetes, which we know is mainly managed with tablets, or diet and exercise, or sometimes Insulin, that is a fact.
Click to expand...

You may be interested to know that one third of T2s inject insulin. That is a heck of a lot more people than there are T1s.
 
I read the article as saying that the massive rise in T2 diabetes around the world will lead to more demand for supplies of insulin (given that a certain % of all type 2s require insulin ) which could disrupt available supplies and that diabetics in poorer third world countries would be most at risk from such a scenario.
Strange how we can all take different things from the same article
 
What is the life expectancy of a T1 diabetic with no insulin available compared to that of a T2 diabetic with no insulin available?
 
If they both have a need for insulin in order to maintain blood sugrs out of the high teens and twenties, then probably very much the same
 
Robinredbreast said:
I am sure you saw it very clearly lol just pointing out I did see another post on the same subject.
Click to expand...

Don't be snarky I still can't find it just post a link please.

This is about the possibility of a world wide shortage of insulin that will concern all who depend on it.

And how the supply is controlled by a few pharma companies who are not interested in developing biosimilar versions

That does disturb me and I would find it difficult to maintain equanimity in the face of such a possibility.

Edit the other thread you speak of may be hiding in plain sight I would still be hard pressed to find it I have MG and severe visual problems today.
 
JohnEGreen said:
A rather disturbing report on the BBC news site.

"It has been called the scourge of urban life. Poor lifestyle and obesity have led to a surge in type 2 diabetes, a condition that occurs when the body cannot produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugar levels.

Now scientists say that millions of people around the world with diabetes may not be able to access insulin over the next decade and more."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-46354989
Click to expand...

We know that this predicted shortage is based on the flawed premise that insulin is necessary for the 1/3 of T2D that is on it. The main reason being that insulin is prescribed not based on the lack of insulin production in these patients, but rather it is to cover the failure to moderate their dietary carbs intake. Certainly there are those late stage T2D who would absolutely require insulin, similar to T1D, but these are few and far between.

Dr Jason Fung already realize this years back...when he wrote "Then came the inescapable, horrifying conclusion. We, as doctors, had been treating T2D exactly wrong. And that is why I have started this journey. Because with the proper treatment, T2D is a curable disease. T2D is a disease of too much insulin, just as obesity results from too much insulin. The treatment is to lower insulin, not raise it. We weren't just not treating T2D, we were making it worse."

The 3 big pharma have successfully created an artificial demand and need for their products. They sell lifestyle convenience rather than restoring metabolic flexibility. They have effectively succeeded in selling ice to eskimos.
 
JohnEGreen said:
Don't be snarky I still can't find it just post a link please.

This is about the possibility of a world wide shortage of insulin that will concern all who depend on it.

And how the supply is controlled by a few pharma companies who are not interested in developing biosimilar versions

That does disturb me and I would find it difficult to maintain equanimity in the face of such a possibility.

Edit the other thread you speak of may be hiding in plain sight I would still be hard pressed to find it I have MG and severe visual problems today.
Click to expand...

Hi, I wasn't being 'snarky' John, definitely not.
The other thread was posted by Oldvatr.
 
therower said:
One has a need for insulin. One has a need for more insulin.
Click to expand...
Not necessarily. Some type ‘s have beta cells that are k******ed and do not produce enough / any insulin.
In the UK at least, type 2 diagnosis is basically a catch all diagnosis that says “ its not gestational or T1 or LADA, therefore its type 2” and they are v slowly beginning to be able to discriminate between different disease processes within a T2 diagnosis. Hyperinsuleamia is not an issue for all people with a T2 diagnosis and the failure of the medical profession to test the level of endogenous insulin production before prescrbing exogenous insulin to those with T2 diagnosis is shameful
In my case I was first diagnosed as Insulin dependant then some months later as non insulin dependant -T1 & T2 didnt exist as diagnostic categories in the 90’s - now the endos have me down as “ diabetes of unknown aetiology” as I dont seem to neatly fit any diagnostic category
If someones sugars are at say 28/9 as mine were on diagnosis leading to me being hooked up to an insulin pump, the persons diagnostic category doesnt really matter
Edited to add
I have not taken insulin for 21+ years and have no intention of starting to do so unless my body decides otherwise
 
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Robinredbreast said:
. . . . . . which we know is mainly managed with tablets, or diet and exercise, or sometimes Insulin, that is a fact.
Click to expand...

The endocrinologist who gave a talk "Diabetes Overview" which I went to the other night reckoned 1 in 3 type IIs take insulin. I did spend a little while trying to find some evidence with some evidence but can't find any yet. He also said that most type IIs will end up on insulin within 10 to 20 years.
 
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