PHARMACISTS and clinicians are being asked to encourage patients with diabetes not to stockpile insulin products, by pharmaceutical manufacturer, Sanofi.
In a statement released earlier this week, Sanofi's Head of Medical, General Medicines Business in Australia, Dr Katarina Kelin, stressed that there had been no interruption to the supply of the company's insulin glargine 100 units/mL product, but warned stockpiling could have unintended consequences.
"We support the advice of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia and other who recommend that people living with insulin-dependent diabetes do not increase the amount of insulin they store at home," she said.
"This could disrupt patterns of distribution and supply and contribute to future shortages for others."
Kelin also noted that Sanofi's Lantus brand was being delisted from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, and patients should be offered alternatives such as Optisulin, which is A-flagged for pharmacy substitution.
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