Long-acting analog insulins, which were included in the Unified Health System (SUS) in 2019 and which are equivalent to human insulins used to treat type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, have not yet been made available in health centers and units. Faced with this situation that affects thousands of Brazilians, the Coalition Vozes do Advocacy, which is made up of 26 diabetes organizations in Brazil, started the “Where’s My Insulina” campaign, with the aim of obtaining an effective government solution to this problem. .
According to the coalition, the Ministry of Health admitted that this type of insulin is the most recommended for the treatment of individuals with type 1 diabetes. Currently, the Diabetes Associations and the Brazilian Diabetes Society are collaborating to pressure the Ministry of Health to regularize this circumstance.
The coordinator of the Vozes do Advocacy coalition, Vanessa Pirolo, declares that the Ministry of Health is not adhering to its own guideline for making technologies available. These should be put into practice within 180 days after approval by the Committee and publication in the Official Gazette. This situation compromises Brazilian citizens’ access to more effective technologies, which would have the potential to prevent hypoglycemia, hospitalizations and even deaths.
Switching from NPH insulin, an older version provided by the government, to “long-acting insulin analogue” could reduce the number of hypoglycemias, given that the latter has a more stable action. The campaign aims to raise awareness among the Ministry of Health to accelerate the acquisition of “insulin analogues” and make access to them easier, especially in Primary Care.
The Advocacy Voices Coalition expresses concern regarding NPH insulin, which is only provided through the Specialized Component. This makes access difficult for people, as they need to consult an endocrinologist and collect the medication at Specific Dispensing Units. As a result, there is a huge waste of NPH insulin, with approximately 1.4 million pens being discarded.
During 2022, even after more than 13 meetings with health authorities, the transfer of NPH insulin to Primary Care did not occur for several reasons, including the lack of refrigeration in the Health Units.
Currently, it is believed that more than 13 million individuals live with diabetes in Brazil, corresponding to 6.9% of the country’s population.
