Patients with Type 2 diabetes to get long-acting insulin free of charge

Patients with Type 2 diabetes will start receiving a common insulin medicine, which they previously had to pay for, free of charge on the government’s formularly.

The medicine, insulin glargine, sold under the brand name Lantus, will be made available freely to Type 2 diabetes patients following an €800,000 government investment, Chris Fearne said.

The Health Minister, who was addressing a press conference at the Qormi health centre on Tuesday, said the investment would lead to 2,000 diabetes patients saving €400 a year on the medicine.

Health Minister Chris Fearne announced on Tuesday that the medicine would be added to the government's formularly for type 2 diabetes patients

“This means patients will have more money in their pockets and receive more precise treatment, Fearne said.

Insulin glargine is a long-acting insulin which is taken once a day and remains in effect for 24 hours, he said.

“This is another step forward which was envisaged in the government’s strategy.”

The investment comes on top of other initiatives taken in recent years to advance diabetes treatment in Malta, the minister highlighted. These include the increased offering of outpatient treatment in health centres, which now all have a diabetic clinic within them, staffed by specially-trained doctors and nurses.

The next step, Fearne added, would be the planned introduction of remote monitoring of patients’ blood glucose level.