Insulin Pens Top Six Benefits For Managing Diabetes

Insulin pens offer patients, their families, and caregivers a wide range of benefits over more traditional insulin delivery options. Diabetes ranks among the top 10 causes of death globally and affects over half a billion people worldwide. Over 80% of those affected live in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Diabetes is primarily of two types: type 1, an autoimmune condition characterised by the inability of the pancreas to produce insulin, and type 2, characterised by resistance to insulin, which hinders the body from using insulin properly.

Insulin pens and newer diabetes medicines can simplify treatment and reduce complications for people with diabetes. While these tools are widely available in high-income countries, access to them in LMICs and humanitarian settings is extremely limited due primarily to their higher prices. 

Accurate Dosing
Insulin pens are designed with precise dials, ensuring accurate dose measurement. This feature is particularly beneficial for children and individuals with dexterity or visual challenges.

User-Friendly

The pens provide people with diabetes the freedom and flexibility to manage their condition more effectively.

Durability
They are less likely to shatter than vials, and they are constructed from robust materials. This makes them safer and easier to transport for everyday use.

Compact Design
They are compact and easy to carry, making them convenient for individuals on the move or in humanitarian crises.

Reduced Discomfort
They can minimise the discomfort associated with insulin injections, enhancing the overall user experience.

Improved Quality of Life
The ease and accuracy of insulin pens encourage adherence to treatment plans, helping to prevent the dangerous complications of diabetes.

Pens are easier and safer to use, give the correct dose, are less painful, and are less stigmatising when used in public—all factors that improve quality of life and increase treatment adherence. Diabetes affects 537 million people globally. It is not just a disease of high-income countries: cases are rising in low- and middle-income countries, with a projected increase of 134% in Africa by 2045. Only half of people who need insulin worldwide have access to it. MSF has significantly increased the number of diabetes consultations in its medical programmes: in 2022, MSF performed 205,122 diabetes-related consultations globally. 

Insulin is classified as either human or analogue based on its onset and duration of action. While insulin analogues are similar to human insulins in their primary structures, they have been modified to change their onset and duration of action after injection, enabling greater flexibility of use for people living with diabetes.