After a long time, a big change has been seen in the treatment of diabetes. Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk has launched once-a-week basal insulin named Awiqli in India. The company claims that now instead of taking insulin daily, many patients will have to get injected only once in 7 days. However, this is not a vaccine, but long-acting basal insulin. In such a situation, the biggest question is how effective is it, for which patients and can every diabetes patient take it? Let us try to answer all these questions through 5 FAQs.
Question 1- What is Awiqli? Is this a diabetes vaccine?
answer- No, Awiqli is not a vaccine. This is a basal insulin given once a week. Basal insulin works slowly in the body throughout the day and night and helps control blood sugar between meals and at bedtime. Till now, most patients had to take such insulin daily, whereas Awiqli has been developed to be taken only once a week.
Question 2- How effective has it proved?
answer- In the company’s clinical trials, Awiqli gave good results in controlling blood sugar. This effectively reduced the patients’ HbA1c i.e. the average blood sugar level of the last three months. Many patients’ HbA1c reached below 7%, which is considered a good target for diabetes control. Its safety was also found to be similar to that of basal insulin given daily.
Question 3- Which patients will benefit from it?
answer- Awiqli has been developed for adult patients with type-1 and type-2 diabetes. In type-1 diabetes, insulin is necessary throughout life, whereas in type-2 diabetes, when sugar is not controlled by diet, exercise and medicines, then insulin is required. Taking injections once a week can reduce the hassle of daily injections. However, some patients may have to continue taking short-acting insulin after meals as before.
Question 4- Is every patient suitable for this?
answer- No. Doctors say that this insulin may not be right for every patient. It is very important to decide on the correct dosage while shifting from daily insulin to once-weekly insulin. In the first few weeks, regular testing of blood sugar and monitoring by the doctor is necessary, because there can be a risk of hypoglycemia i.e. very low blood sugar.
Question 5- Will this completely eliminate diabetes?
Answer- No, Awiqli is not a permanent cure for diabetes. Its purpose is to keep blood sugar under better control for a long time. If used along with a good diet, regular exercise, periodic blood sugar checks and doctor’s advice, treatment can be more convenient than before.
Why is this new insulin important for India?
Diabetes patients are increasing rapidly in India. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), more than 10 crore people in the country are affected by diabetes and about 13.6 crore people are affected by pre-diabetes. In such a situation, insulin administered only once a week can become a relief for those patients who have difficulty in taking injections daily. However, experts advise that patients should not make the mistake of stopping or changing their existing insulin without consulting the doctor.
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