Some diabetes patients are having to ration their use of insulin due to a shortage of one of the most commonly used diabetes products in Ireland.
A shortage of Fiasp vials of insulin is the latest medicine scarcity to hit the Irish market. Almost 300 commonly used drugs are already in short supply, according to the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA).
Waterford diabetes campaigner Liz Murphy told WLR News that there is growing concern among members of online diabetes support groups in relation to a potential insulin shortage.
"It's something that has been happening in the UK," she explained.
"Somebody asked in one of the diabetes groups if anybody had experienced a shortage here in Ireland. I looked at the HPRA website and there was a letter from Novo Nordisk about a shortage notification in relation to Fiasp which is a fast acting insulin."
Waterford diabetic Liz Murphy.
Liz, who is a campaigner for improved diabetes care, outlined what a shortage of insulin would mean for Type 1 diabetics.
"In no uncertain terms, death. I could take about seven or eight insulin injections a day. Without insulin, people with Type 1 diabetes can suffer with a condition called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). If left untreated the person could actually die. It's very worrying that there could be a shortage of insulin like this."
Liz says this is the first time she has heard of such a shortage and she has queried the availability of insulin locally.
"I've had diabetes for 45 years and I've been using Novo Nordisk insulin all that time and I've never heard of a shortage of insulin," she says.
"I asked my pharmacist what the case is locally - the pharmacist I use told me that they use two different suppliers, and when they looked on their system it was out of stock with both."
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