Around 22,000 Bulgarian patients with diabetes who use human insulins are expected to switch to insulin analogues and more modern therapies. The change is related to a restructuring of pharmaceutical companies’ product portfolios, explained Prof. Asena Serbezova, former health minister and deputy chair of the Bulgarian Pharmaceutical Union, to bTV.
“Insulin analogues have been proven to control diabetes better,” Serbezova said. According to her, they are associated with fewer cases of hypoglycaemia, which in the long term may also mean fewer complications.
How the change will be carried out
Patients using human insulins should contact their general practitioner, obtain a referral and visit an endocrinologist. The specialist must order the necessary tests and prescribe the new therapy with a protocol.
According to Serbezova, the protocol is the main documentary difference when switching to an insulin analogue. She noted that there are already patients using these therapies and described their safety profile as very good.
The National Health Insurance Fund reports that sales of three human insulins are planned to be discontinued as of May 31, 2027. These are Actrapid Penfill, Insulatard Penfill and Mixtard 30 Penfill. The NHIF уточнява that the change applies only to the products listed and that existing prescriptions and protocols remain valid until they expire or until the treating physician makes a decision.
Patients should not stop or change their treatment on their own. For questions about the next therapy, the NHIF directs them to their treating physician or an endocrinologist. Insulin therapies are included in the Positive Drug List and are fully covered by the fund under the applicable legislation.
Warning about insulin resistance
In the interview, Serbezova also commented on insulin resistance. According to her, around 25 percent of people aged 25 are affected by the condition without knowing it. She warned that, in the absence of measures, it may progress to diabetes.
Prof. Serbezova also addressed the use of diabetes medications for weight loss. “All of this must take place under medical supervision,” she said, adding that uncontrolled use outside the approved indications may be harmful.
Sources: btvnovinite.bg