June 4, 1999
Insulin
Question from Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan:
My 8 year old niece was diagnosed with diabetes about a week back. The doctors are still testing if it’s insulin dependent or not. My question is that, if it is insulin dependent, what are the methods by which insulin can be administered? The only method that is known here is of injecting it. One more question is that, the doctor here says that once she goes on insulin, she’ll have to continue it for her life time. This is frightening us. Please advice if there is a possibility of discontinuing after the disease is under control.
Lastly, is there a cure for this thing at present?
Answer:
Sadly, you are well informed. In other words, insulin can only be injected and if the diagnosis is confirmed as insulin dependent or Type 1 diabetes, then the insulin has to be continued lifelong. No cure is in sight.
KJR
[Editor’s comment: Several companies are working on a version of insulin that can be inhaled rather than injected. The research results to date are promising, but the products are still under study and are not available on the market as of June 1999.
JSH]
