Modern Insulin Access

Every person with diabetes deserves access to the insulin and tools that work best for them. For too long, the world’s essential medicines lists reflected what was cheapest rather than what is best for patients. T1International has spent years working to successfully add rapid-acting and long-acting insulin analogues vials and pens to the World Health Organization’s Essential Medicines List.

Insulin pens are the standard of care in high-income countries, preferred by 82% of people with diabetes for their accuracy and ease of use, according toa joint report by T1International and MSF (opens in a new tab). In low- and middle-income countries, they remain largely out of reach. Novo Nordisk has discontinued human insulin pen distribution in South Africa and is phasing out human insulin pens globally. T1International joined Medecins Sans Frontiere, the Treatment Action Campaign, and Santé Diabète to protest outside Novo Nordisk’s Johannesburg offices, delivering a petition demanding $1 insulin pens.